Star Light, Star Bright

Star Light, Star Bright...

Enjoy the fireworks
in the night sky,
stargazing with your children.





What You Will Need:

• Your own backyard (or a wide open space where the sky is dark, beyond city lights)
• Small Flashlight
• Glow-in-the-Dark Starfinder or Sky Map
• Book about the constellations (for example, Find the Constellations or The Constellations, Stars and Stories)
• Blanket or chairs
• Warm Clothes
• Binoculars or telescope (optional)
• Thermas of Hot Chocolate, Cups, and Snacks

What You Do:

• Find a comfortable place in your backyard that provides a clear view of the night sky. If you live in the city, you might want to head out of town to a wide-open place where the sky is dark, away from the lights of the city.
• Lie on a blanket or sit in chairs. Make sure to dress warmly - the nights can be cool.
• Using a small flashlight, read stories about the constellations to your children, while they look upward toward the stars. See if your children can identify the constellations in the sky. You might also see shooting stars (meteors) or satellites.
• The later in the evening for your stargazing, the more you will see... and if your kids fall asleep under the stars, it will be a memory they will have forever.

Additional Tips:

• When planning your stargazing adventure, try to choose a night when the moon is not out. Without the brightness of the moon, you will be able to see more stars.
• To make the evening even more special, prepare the area in your yard before your kids come outside by lining Glow In the Dark Stars along a path to the blankets you've spread out. When your kids come outside, they will be delighted to see the stars glowing on the ground.

Major Meteor Showers in the Northern Hemisphere:

While you can see meteors (shooting stars) any time of the year, here is a list of some of the best dates to observe meteor showers:

• Quadrantids — January 3-4
• Lyrids — April 21-22
• Eta Aquarids — May 4-6
• Delta Aquarids — July 27-29
• Perseids — August 12-13
• Orionids — October 21-22
• Taurids — November 7-8
• Leonids — November 16-18
• Geminids — December 13-15