What to Do

Of course, as soon as I exhorted people to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy by going out and stargazing, the clouds settled in over our region and there hasn’t been a dry, clear night for a couple of nights now. This happens occasionally, and so the intrepid stargazer has to have a backup plan for such times when the stars aren’t going your way.  For me, it usually means getting a book out or doing some Web surfing.  Or, I’ll settle in for an evening of CSI reruns.  (For those of you outside the U.S., CSI is short for “Crime Scene Investigation” — a show in multiple versions that purports to tell the “true” stories of what it’s like for forensics investigators who gather clues at crime scenes.  With a little drama. And some sexy clothing. And more than a little wit.  My favorite series is set in Las Vegas.)

Lately I’ve been kind of busy with work projects, so I haven’t had much chance to watch TV.  So, the stars would have been a good diversion from work. Nonetheless, there are some leisure-time activities related to stargazing that I CAN recommend if the cloudy nights come YOUR way.  Reading armchair astronomy books happens frequently for me.  (I’ve listed a number of my favorites among those I own over at the Spacewriter’s Store (no, you don’t have to buy anything — it’s just easier to point you there since the URLs are already there).  Sometimes it’s fun to get out Burnham’s Celestial Handbook and read up on some of the marvelous literary and scientific links the late author made to things we see in the sky.  It’s a treasure trove.

Or, I’ll pull out Phil Plait’s Death from the Skies for a biting look at what people think is happening in the skies that really isn’t happening at all. Or, sometimes I just want to read a little space opera, so I’ll pull a science fiction book off the shelf and lose myself in the Vorkosiverse or the Asimov-verse or someplace like that. A few nights of doing that, and hopefully when the clouds pull out and leave behind clear skies, then I’m ready to step out and look up!

Celebrate the IYA

Time for another trumpeting of the International Year of Astronomy.  There are events going on all year, helping folks reconnect with the sky.  If you haven’t checked out the site above for a list of what’s happening to celebrate astronomy, or participated in an event, what are you waiting for? As they like to say in the cruise ship commercials: get out there!

So, the first step is to go outside tonight and look at the sky.  Let me tell you what it will be like when you do it.

First, you’ll procrastinate. Have dinner. Maybe watch a TV show or play a game or something. But, there’ll be this little niggling nag in the back of your mind, telling you in a sweet voice, “You should go out and look at the stars.”  You’ll ignore it for a while, but eventually you’ll say to yourself (and your star muse), “Okay. Okay!”

Now, assuming that it’s clear out tonight (and that’s always a big consideration, you’ll find yourself stepping out after it’s dark. Well, dark is a relative term. If you live in a city, there’ll be a wash of light across the sky. If you live in the suburbs, you’ll have what we term the “city nebula” somewhere in the distance.  If you’re out in the country or the middle of nowhere (not always the same thing), it’ll be dark. Nice and dark.

In any case, no matter where you are, you’ll see sky objects. At this time (in the second week of June 2009), you won’t be able to miss the Moon.  So, take advantage of that. Get a pair of binoculars and check out the lunar craters and mountains and valleys.

In a week or so, the Moon won’t be brightening so much of the sky, so it would make sense to go out every night for the next few weeks and check out what else you can find in the sky.  And, if you’re reading this after June 2009, step outside tonight and go exploring!  You’ll find stars out there… thousands of them. And, if you are observing from a reasonably safe place (and you’re dressed warmly), simply lie down (or sit back) and gaze. The most amazing things will race through your mind as you do so.  Try it!