To get the full picture of what it takes to better familiarize yourself with the night skies, we spoke to astrophotographer and aerospace engineer Bray Falls, who also has one of the coolest Instagram accounts we've ever seen.
But first, what the heck is stargazing?
What is astronomy and stargazing?
Stargazing is just what it sounds like: just stargazing.
But astronomy is deeper.
It is the science of observing objects in space and the universe as a whole.
It's safe to say that for thousands of years, people have marveled at the night sky.
While most scientists say that humans began officially documenting stars using telescopes around 400 years ago, some are seeing artifacts that could put our first astronomer ancestors nearly 6,000 years in the past.
Whether using the naked eye, binoculars, a telescope, or any other viewing tool, the vastness of space can be inviting and enchanting ... and a wonderful escape from home where we've been spending a lot of time lately.
Here, Falls shares five tips to make every night viewing worthwhile:
Drive as far as you can from city lights to avoid light pollution.
Check the weather to make sure the sky is optimal for what you want to see.
Use astronomy apps to find out when interesting objects like the core of the Milky Way will be visible.
You can review the recommendations below.
Make sure you have snacks and water nearby.
Check the weather and dress accordingly.
You will likely feel colder than you expect.
Telescopes and binoculars for stargazing
Falls says that using a telescope opens up a whole new world, far beyond what can be seen with the naked eye.
But where do you start?
"To make things easier, the best telescopes for looking with your eyes are reflector telescopes; these are telescopes that use mirrors instead of lenses," he says.
"These are easy to use and will provide great views."
Here are some options, including reflecting telescopes, that our editors have selected to get you going.
Sky-Watcher 8-Inch f / 5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope
(
USD $ 445;
bhphotovideo.com)
Falls said: "If you want the best possible performance for your money, there is no better option than the 8-inch Dobsonian telescope."
Adorama lists the same model on their website, also with orders still pending, but will ship it as soon as it's back in stock.
Celestron 70-Millimeter Travel Scope
(Buy it here:
USD $ 99.95 and
MX $ 3,236)
This telescope is ideal for travel, with its own carrying case and lightweight frame.
Good for beginners (especially considering the price), it comes with two high-quality eyepieces and a 70mm objective lens).
Gskyer Telescope 70 millimeters aperture 400 millimeters AZ Mount
(Buy it here:
USD $ 99.95 and
MX $ 3,325)
The coolest part of this best-selling telescope?
There is a mount for your phone so you can easily take a photo of exactly what you are seeing in that telescope.
It is also compact enough and comes with its own carrying case to make it portable.
Critics praise the stable tripod and how fun it is for first timers.
Orion 09007 SpaceProbe Equatorial Reflector Telescope
(
USD $ 349.99;
amazon.com)
The 5.1-inch aperture of this reflector telescope can gather lots of light for excellent telescopic views and its shorter frame offers easy portability.
It also comes fully assembled, with useful accessories like a scope, focuser, astronomy software, and more.
SkyGenius Powerful Binoculars for Adults
(
USD $ 39.99, originally USD $ 58.99;
amazon.com)
Here's something you might not expect to hear: You don't need a telescope to get a closer look at the night sky.
As Falls explains, "Binoculars are a great, inexpensive way to improve your view of almost anything in the night sky. The Pleiades, Andromeda Galaxy, Orion Nebula, Moon, and Jupiter's Moon will all look impressive in a pair of binoculars ".
These are our pick because they're great to see at night, they're moisture-proof in case you get caught in a storm, and they're reasonably priced.
They are even great for capturing fast-moving objects like a kite.
The best stargazing and astronomy apps
SkySafari 6 Pro
There's an app for everything, stargazing included.
Falls shares that "having the right information about stargazing will make your experience 1,000 times better. I really enjoy SkySafari Pro to help me show me what is going to be in the sky and when. It will even send you alerts when events like the transit of the International Space Station (ISS) ".
This handy app also keeps you up to date on the moon phase, because the fullness and brightness of the moon affect what will be visible.
"If you want to see the stars, you should plan to look at a new moon, preferably," says Falls.
He also recommends downloading a light pollution map to help locate the best nearby viewing spots.
Stellarium
($ 3.49 for Android and $ 2.99 for iOS; stellarium-labs.com)
Turn any Android or iOS phone into a planetarium without the need for any additional equipment.
Stellarium has earned praise for being a simple way to look at the stars with the naked eye.
Identify the objects in the sky that you are seeing.
Zoom in on an object to see it up close and learn more about it.
Star Walk 2
($ 2.99 for Android, iOS and Microsoft devices; vitotechnology.com)
Star Walk 2 is another popular sky watching app that translates what you see in the sky into constellations and decipherable objects.
You have to download multiple packages to get additional information, which can be annoying, but many reviewers say it's worth it.
However, there is a free version of Star Walk 2 for Android users who don't want to commit to a purchase yet, but be aware that this version contains ads.
With nearly 350,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating, the ads don't seem to be that annoying.
And there is a Star Walk Kids app that simplifies and distills astronomical information for kids through a filter of a cute cartoon cow.
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