Hello  Friend,

Even though the winter offers some of the better skies to observe in, here in North America,

it is really tough to observe at night, when it's cold, so you gotta have a game plan.
Be prepared!

Some of the solutions to this problem are as follows:

  Here are some cold  winter observing tips:

Dress warmly, in layers. The cold will not bother you so much, if you are properly dressed.
Go to Marks work wearhouse and buy some thermal underwear, or to any sportswear store.
You can also buy thin, thermal gloves. With modern technology in clothing manufacture, this
stuff really helps. Some of this stuff can be a bit pricey, so consider buying at end of season,
when it goes on sale.

Drink plenty of fluids to keep hydrated; hot chocolate or Tea is best.  Peppermint tea, if you like
that stuff, or Chai tea works nicely too. Avoid any kind of liquor. (alright a small shot of whiskey mixed
in a warm beverage might be ok, but don't overdo it!

Another solution:

Take up Solar Astronomy as a hobby! Prices on Hydrogen Alpha Telescopes used to be through the roof
but have now come down substantially!  Manufactures such as Coronado and Lunt make many reasonably priced instruments now,
that are affordable to the amateur astronomer. Benefit? Daytime astronomy, plus you get a shot of Vitamin d, and see
some really cool activity happening on the Sun.

Now, if you have really had enough of the cold, take a trip down south, to a warm Carribean Island or Florida and then
you can observe the Winter constellations in comfort!

Take a trip to Arizona and spend a few weeks under the dark skies there! That will recharge your spirits as well.

Stuck in the City or planning a visit to Toronto? May I suggest a visit to Toronto's latest TIFF Lightbox Film Theatres.
There is a really cool movie playing there right now called" Nostalgia for the Light:" If you can rent this on DVD (see Foreign Films).
Filmed in the Atacama desert, it makes an interesting juxtaposition between Pinochet's regime in Chile, and the Astronomers working
in the desert. Well worth watching.

Remember, you are made of Star Stuff!

Keep Warm....

Ray Khan

www.khanscope.com

email:  ray@khanscope.com