Getting Started Watching the Night Sky
As a species we evolved in a world of dark skies. The glow of modern cities disorients humans and non humans alike. Hatchling turtles struggle to find the sea. Many insects struggle to find mates at night. Working the night shift is a known detriment to human health. In addition to the health and environmental benefits of a dark night, watching a truly dark sky can be a deeply spiritual existence. If you haven’t spent time in the truly dark looking up, this is my encouragement to try it. Most people in North America live in locations where the Milky Way is invisible. But, if you’re willing to travel a little, you can still view the sky as our ancestors might have seen it about 300 years ago. As time progresses, suburban sprawl and bad lighting practices shrink the areas where people can see the dark sky. Summer is a good time. The core of the Milky Way is most visible from March to October. When I started in this journey, I found information scattered in many places. My experience was one of trial and error. What follows is a few quick hits and resources useful for those looking to do some star watching for the first time.
My hope is that more people will fall in love with these places and views. “People protect things they love.” — Jacques Cousteau
Location Location Location
First, get to a dark location. This means getting away from major cities and population centers. The Bortle Scale and a few maps are a good starting point to think about locations.
The Bortle Scale is a method of measuring the level of artificial light. More on that idea here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bortle_scale
Many dark sky maps exist which will represent estimated Bortle Scale numbers as a color, such as this one: https://djlorenz.github.io/astronomy/lp2006/overlay/dark.html
Some color scales are expanded. On this map, anything blue or darker can be quite good. Grey areas can be exceptional for seeing the night sky.
Places to See the Night Sky
The United States and Europe are awash in artificial light. The more remote you are, the better. There are still some places in North America that approach the world as it was 300 years ago.
Some of my favorites include:
California:
· Death Valley National Park
Maine
· Acadia National Park: Sand Beach
Nebraska
· Around Calamus Reservoir in Burwell, and many points northwest from there
New Hampshire
· Franconia Notch State Park
Nevada:
· Austin Nevada. Austin Summit is one of the darkest places in North America
· Charcoal Ovens State Park
· Great Basin National Park
Pennsylvania
· Cherry Springs State Park
Utah
· Arches National Park
· Bridges National Monument
· Bryce Canyon National Park
· Canyonlands National Park
· Capitol Reef National Park
· Escalante National Monument
· Zion National Park
Timing
Sunset Vs Nautical Dusk Vs Astronomical Dusk
The sky doesn’t reach peak darkness until about 90 minutes after sunset. Even if the sun has set, if it’s close to the horizon, light can illuminate the sky.
New Moon
The Milky Way core is most visible between May and October. Visibility is best during the New Moon, where there is no moonlight to drown out starlight.
Moonrise and Moonset
Even if it’s not exactly a New Moon day, days that are close to the New Moon are also good. The moon is above the horizon less of the time. The moon rises and sets like the Sun according to a predictable schedule. If you can’t get outside during a New Moon, try going after Moonset, when the moon is out of sight.
Weather
Cloud cover can be unpredictable. Drier areas such as Death Valley, Utah, or Northern Nevada have less of it. Be prepared to be stymied by weather.
What You’ll See
In low light, humans see mostly in greyscale, not in full color. Eyes take about 20–30 minutes of continuous dark for most people to acclimate. The sky will appear to populate with more stars. It will get brighter. With a clear sky, you may be able to discern colors of the brighter stars. At that point, most people can see well enough to walk around. You can see your feet, and where you’re walking. You can find your car, and even see faint shadows. It actually works. A person can walk around guided only by starlight.
Photographing the Night Sky
Human eyes see the night sky mostly in grey. Cameras see the full range of color. A good camera can open up a range of possibilities.
This is the best introductory resource I’ve found to get someone started:
https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Nightscapes-Landscape-Astrophotography/1154715981
Sign up for Skillshare. Watch this guy’s lectures. Take notes. It’ll be money well spent.
With a naked eye, you’re still at the mercy of weather and other conditions outside your control. With a camera, more complications can affect you. However, some of the most interesting pictures you take can be complete accidents.
A car driving through a photo unexpectedly
Accidentally tapping the brake lights on my car during a long exposure photo
Embrace the uncertainty. And enjoy the dark!