A Complete Guide to Getting Your Stargaze On in Greater Danbury

A Complete Guide to Getting Your Stargaze On in Greater Danbury

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With Summer fast approaching, you may be itching for some entertaining outdoor activities. Lucky for you, I've made a comprehensive list of all the things you need to be a master stargazer. Impress your friends, your date, your dog, whoever -- We've got you.

1) Conditions

According to Accuweather's "Stargazing for Beginners: Planning Your First Night Out," weather conditions are an absolute essential factor in your planning. The author of the blog, Dave Samuhel, explains further: "In addition to the general weather forecast, I often look at AccuWeather's local hourly forecast (which can be find by putting in your location here to see what the expected cloud cover will be. It will give you an idea of whether you are likely to have clear skies or not. I generally avoid planning any stargazing unless the cloud cover is below 30 percent."

Set it up in your backyard, the local parks like Terrywile and Rogers, really anywhere that you have a full view of the sky and are away from bright, city lights.

Materials Needed:

Total Price: $0

2) Maps and Visuals 

In-The-Sky.org provides a map of stars, constellations and planets. Just type in your town and bam, a full labeled map of the sky that is currently visible. You can even change the date and time to view past or future skies.

SkyView, available for both iPhone and Android is the perfect portable resource to make you an instant pro for just $1.99. All you do is allow camera access and then point your device to the sky. Not only will you see your sky through the screen, but also constellations, planets, satellites, and stars. Everything is labeled, clickable and comes with a description of the object in question.

Updated Materials Needed:

Total Price: $1.99

3) Physical Materials 

Now, everyone needs to be comfortable while stargazing. Nothing would kill the mood more than your date getting stabbing pain in his/her spine and needing to go home.

A big, insulated blanket like this one is a great start. You won't be shivering and you'll actually be able to enjoy your views.

This inflatable daybed is perfect for stargazing will provide the support to avoid that stabbing spine pain. It even has a built in pillow to avoid dirtying your at-home sleeping pillows. As an alternate, get this thick yoga mat. Get one if you and you friend (dog) are planning on sitting up next to each other, or get two (I recommend this) so you can each lie down and get a full eyeful of the sky.

Ah yes, snacks. Get something non-perishable such as chips and gummy worms. This way you won't attract tons of bugs while laying on the ground, which sounds like a nightmare in my humble opinion. Stop at CVS with your stargazing partner and bask in the wonder that is the snack isle.

Updated Materials Needed:

Total Price: $68.81

Although this isn't free, everything besides the snacks are easily reusable. Keep the insulated blanket in your car at all times of the year in case your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and put the inflatable daybed in your backyard or use it as an inflatable bed for guests. And most importantly, now that you're a master stargazer, your future stargazing trips will be free + the price of snacks. A one time price for years of stargazing? I'll take it.

Final Thoughts

As a star junkie myself, I always dreamed of being an astronaut and traveling to space. Then I realized how bad I was at math, and after opening up an astrophysics book at the library, I realized it probably wouldn't be the best career choice for me. So for all of us who are confined to Earth's surface: let's get our stargaze on- it's close enough.

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