Great time for stargazing

Here’s something to do that costs almost nothing and carries the promise of awe: Look at the sky.

Humans have been stargazers forever, wondering in ancient times if the points of light were holes in the heavenly veil, offering a glimpse of the light of heaven. But even ancient civilizations knew the paths of the stars and were guided by the North Star (Polaris).

Today, light pollution from cities means that your yard might not be the ideal spot to watch the heavens, so you might need to pack up a blanket and some snacks, throw the kids in the car and drive to a good dark sky location. Visit www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/finder/ to look for a good spot near you.

And if you want to know when certain planets are visible, when you can catch a good meteor shower, whether the moon is doing something spectacular or if you’re just curious about what you might see, there’s a tool for that, too. Visit www.space.com/33974-best-night-sky-events.html to see a calendar of night sky events and stargazing maps. The website includes handy visuals, so you know what to look for when you scan the horizon.

If you’re rusty on your constellations or never took the time to learn them, there are more free tools that can help you and your family get the most out of your stargazing excursion. Download the free Star Deck constellation and astronomy flashcards. The Star Deck is available in both English and Spanish.

There are also a number of free apps available to help walk you through your journey to the stars. Try SkyView, available from the Apple and Google app stores. Of course, be aware that with your phone lighting your surroundings, your eyes might not adjust to the night sky as well, and you might miss the show.