Claire Tian

Planets follow predictable patterns of movement across the sky, but can only be seen at certain times of the year depending on factors like the earth’s rotation and the planets’ relative location around the sun. Uranus and Saturn require a telescope, but Venus, Jupiter and Mars are fairly easy to spot with the naked eye, even in light-polluted areas.

In the hustle of everyday life, stargazing offers a source of tranquility. It’s not necessary to invest in telescopes or spend years studying astronomy either. Even for complete amateurs, searching the night sky can be endlessly rewarding. This is my guide to stargazing for beginners. 

1. It’s generally possible to stargaze anywhere outside of the inner city, but it’s also nice to pick a location with less light pollution. Some decent sites in the San Jose area include Houge Park, Henry W. Coe State Park and my backyard. Before traveling, dress warmly and check the weather—try to choose a cloudless night. 

2. Avoid any bright lights, like from a phone screen or flashlight. After 20 to 30 minutes in low light conditions, rhodopsin—a protein in the retina—will begin to enable night vision until it detects sufficient light again. To maintain good eyesight for stargazing, astronomers and stargazers use red-tinted lanterns and phone filters, since the long wavelength of red light does not trigger the neutralization of rhodopsin. 

3. For maximum convenience, download a stargazing app on a phone or tablet. With augmented reality features, they can locate stars, constellations, and even satellites. I prefer “Sky Guide” for its user interface and simple, but comprehensive tracking of cool astronomical features. It’s also a good idea to check out stargazing books or physical sky maps. 

4. Constellations are the puzzle pieces, the bread and butter, of the stargazing experience. Try star-hopping—using prominent constellations as references to look for certain stars. Constellations, asterisms (unofficial star patterns) and stars appear to move across the sky, depending on the season and an observer’s location on earth. During winter, observers in the Bay Area can see constellations like Orion, Gemini, Auriga, Taurus and Casseiopia. Most of them were named from ancient Middle Eastern, Greek and Roman tradition and come with their own stories and myths. For instance, Orion the hunter from Greek mythology, is never visible in the sky at the same time as his enemy, Scorpion.

5. Keep an eye out for some of the brightest objects to spot in the sky—planets. They follow predictable patterns of movement across the sky, but can only be seen at certain times of the year depending on factors like the earth’s rotation and the planets’ relative location around the sun. Uranus and Saturn require a telescope, but Venus, Jupiter and Mars are fairly easy to spot with the naked eye, even in light-polluted areas. Venus and Jupiter both shine brighter than most stars, and Mars glows with a distinctive bronze hue. Until mid-March, Venus will rise during sunset. Despite the light pollution near school, Venus can be seen just above the horizon even on campus.