Before you head out on your next gallivanting journey into the unknown world outside your borders, or even if you are heading off on a road trip vacation, do you and your family a favor; buy a star chart.
A star chart is just as it sounds, a chart of the stars. They are often dialed in for a certain set degrees of latitude, such as the one I’m modeling at right. 40º-50º North is about all that chart is good for but it works any time of the year and you can even fudge a little if you made it down to 39º. As this unit is smaller, it travels quite well and was originally purchased in Grand Teton for a mere $5.50 (they are now $7.50 on Amazon for the small and $11 for the large).
Other star charts have wider ranges or are calibrated for the Southern sky. There are, of course, books upon books to buy, but what I like about this chart is that it is simple, lightweight and doesn’t require batteries. And it’s a great way to answer questions of the sky your kids ask.
Really into the app scene? Of course there are a ton of night sky star charts and I’ll readily admit they are awesome looking and packed full of useful info. Check out this very handy iPhone app comparison chart before making a purchase. Have a Droid? Google has you covered with Google Sky Map (beta….of course).
Any way you do it, be sure to grab a handy map of the night sky. It’s sure to spark up conversation anywhere you go.