Simple Outdoor Adventures for Boys {Day 24}: Star Gazing
Going Star Gazing…
Supplies:
- Wide Open Space Away from City Lights
- Portable Telescope (optional)
- Star Map/Constellation Guide/Starmap App
- Clear Weather
- Blanket
Oh my stars! There’s something truly breathtaking about gazing up at the stars in the clear night sky. Creation shines in all of its splendor. It’s so vast, and so stunning – not bad for millions of balls of gas. And its viewed best on your back on a cozy blanket.
Spotting constellations can be a fun game for all ages. The Little Dipper, the Big Dipper, Orion, and The North Star are a great place to start. Star maps and smart phone apps are great tools for navigating the stars!
Above all, just enjoy a starry starry night together!
Helpful Tips/Resources:
- DIY Constellation Cards
- The Big Dipper (Let’s Read and Find Out Science)
- Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations
- Phases of the Moon via Oreos
- The Stars
- NASA Website
* Check with your planetariums in your area for upcoming events and what to watch the sky for!
What’s your favorite thing to gaze at in the night sky?
I grew up in the country and took stargazing for granted. Since I’ve been married, we’ve always had to live in a town or city, and there’s always too many lights. Someday, when Nick retires out of the AF, we are hightailing it back to the country!
Hey, I saw your comment about your celling fan on another blog. I realize this doesn’t belong here but I had the same issue. You can remove and paint the blades, or even replace them, but painting them is much cheaper. You can completely remove the light kit if you have one on your celling fan. Or if you want to keep your light kit, what I did is go to my Lowes (or Home Depot). They have replacement glass and from about $6 to $20 each you can find something more modern/nicer looking. The more expensive glass was hand blown, but you can really change the fan for not much money if you don’t want to replace it. And if you have extra paint lying around then it won’t cost anything at all. It is MUCH easier to paint if you remove the blades first. Also put mine on a dimmer so it was always really low light.
Anyway, I hope one of those solutions works for you!