The Joys of Winter Stargazing 

by Ray Khan
 

With
the Cooler fall nights upon us already, Old Man Winter is not far away. Here is
how to make the best out of your Winter Stargazing activities!

If you’re like me, some winter nights, you might look out the window
and secretly pray that it’s cloudy…. Why? 
In my case it’s so I won’t feel guilty about having to go outside and
observe in the cold, because lo and behold the clouds have appeared, or are soon
going to come, as soon as I have set my equipment up to start observing the
night sky. Never mind that the weather forecast predicted a clear night! Surely
the Weather Network  must be wrong
tonight I tell myself.

Truth is, this has happened on the odd occasion, however it is a useful memory
to play back at convenient times, especially when it’s nice and warm inside
and -7 outside.It is remarkable just how many excuses one can come up to not
Stargaze in the Winter; For example: “It’s my turn to baby-sit the kids
tonight”.  (of course you actually
have to have kids to pull this excuse.)  Or,
“I have to get up for work early tomorrow” is a good one. (But it’s true,
really!!!).

Or perhaps you really can’t miss the next episode of C.S.I. on 
television.
 

With that in mind, I would like to offer some practical solutions to
Winter Stargazing. I find the Winter Sky to be rather inspiring, and somewhat
refreshing to observe. Some of the best and most memorable observing I have done
has been during this season. The skies tend to be clearer, and if the air is
calm, stars appear to be brighter, and there are usually a few Planets that can
be observed on any given evening.
 

Regardless of whether you are observing from your backyard or driving to
a location a little preparation goes a long way.
 

First, you will want to layer your clothing. Thermal underwear,
available in most ski shops is a good place to start. For both your legs and
upper body.

A pair of comfortable pants and a sweater, over those to minimize bulk, I use
some of the thermal clothing that cross-country skiers wear. It allows for more
flexibility and movement. Over the pants a windproof shell is useful for keeping
the wind at bay, and finally a Long Winter coat.

A wool hat, earmuffs, and scarf are essential. If you prefer a hoodie,
those are good too. If your head gets cold, your entire body feels cold. This
also applies to footwear. Wool lined Sorel brand boots are my personal favorite.
Thermal wool socks will also keep your toes warm. Thin Gloves with thermal
lining are great, especially when you need nimble fingers to make adjustments to
various bits and pieces of hardware. If you tend to be quite sensitive to the
cold, you can even purchase compact chemical heating packets, which can be
placed within your shoes and gloves.

Having a good size thermos to put your favorite hot beverage in is also
useful if you are traveling to an observing location, 
In my case, I always make sure to know where the 24 hour Tim Horton’s
are located if I plan to be out late, for a pit stop on the way there and back.
I would suggest abstaining from alcoholic drinks, as they will dilate your
pupils, amongst other things.

Also, it is generally a good idea to plan your Observing session. With
one of the many software programs available to amateur astronomers ( A google
search will even turn up some that are free of charge) you can plan which
objects to observe and note at what time they are best viewed. You don’t want
to be heading out to observe the Planet Saturn for example, and then find out it
is not rising till after 2am, and you want to be back home by 11pm. Further,
less time is wasted trying to figure out what to observe, and more time is
actually spent observing.
 

Some of the  other benefits
to Winter Observing is  that since it
gets dark early, thanks to daylight savings time, you can start observing
earlier and be back at a reasonable time, if you happen to be driving 
to a dark sky site.

If driving to an unfamiliar location, it is usually a good idea to go observing
with a buddy. Especially if it is a remote dark sky location.
 

 I recall a friend several
years ago went stargazing by himself to a Ski Resort. 
Which was a great spot, since  hills
surrounded it and shielded the light from the surrounding townships. As luck
would have it, his car slipped into a ditch as he was entering the site. He did
not have a cell phone, and ended up walking quite a distance to a rural home to
obtain assistance late at night.
 

I also fondly remember an observing session several years ago, in
1997,when I decided to go to a Provincial Park, the Forks of the Credit, where I
knew other amateur astronomers would be observing and photographing a great
Comet visible in the night sky at the time, Comet Hale-Bopp, one of the
brightest comets of the last Century.
 

Interestingly, Comet Hale-Bopp, was discovered by two amateur
astronomers, who were friends, Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp. 

 It is just about an hour
Northwest of Toronto, so it was a relatively easy drive. It was a cold, clear
and crisp winter night, with no wind, and I was simply enthralled by the
experience. of observing under ideal conditions, with fellow amateur
astronomers.
 

At about 1:30am  everyone
else had left the site, after we had finished observing and photographing the
Comet and it was now setting below the Horizon.

I recall how cold my hands were advancing the 35mm film
  in my Nikon F3 camera and
being careful to make sure it did not tear, due to the cold temperatures. Yes,
those were the days before the advent of the digital camera!
 

Realizing that the Comet would reappear in the dawn sky, I decided to
stay the night and capture images of it in the early morning twilight, as it
climbed above the horizon before the Sun rose and erased the Comet’s view from
the  pre- dawn sky.
 

Fortunately, there was a 24-hour Eddie Shack donut shop (lousy coffee,
Tim's is better!)  just a few minutes away, so I went there and refilled my
thermos with hot chocolate and bought some donuts to carry me through the night.
I was starting to feel a bit drowsy at this point, so I 
got into my truck, and turned the heater and radio on, left the window
open a slight crack, and dozed off to sleep for an hour or so.
 

When I awoke, I checked the car dashboard clock and it was around 3am,
so I got out of the truck and marveled at how glorious the night sky was. I then 
observed it laying down on a blanket on the hood of my truck, 
the engine still being warm., with a pair of binoculars in my hands.

It was almost a surreal experience as it was very quiet around me, and
being able to see a night sky blanketed with Stars.

When the Comet reappeared above the Horizon in the early morning, I took some
more images,  with my camera . Slowly
as  the 
dawn crept in, I decided to call it a “night” and head home for a
well-earned sleep.

Today, several years later, I still recall this as being one of my most
memorable winter observing experiences.
 

Owning a Pet Dog can
also be another handy way to familiarize yourself with the winter sky. when
it’s time to walk fido, even in the city, you can see the outlines of the
brighter constellations, such as Orion the Hunter, The Pleiades, and of course
most of the brighter Planets such as Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are naked
eye visible. You may  also wish to 
note the apparent motion of these objects over the course of a Month or
so.  Of course, you will want to be
sure to observe the bright Star Sirius (“the dog Star” ) as it is also
known. A great way to learn the night sky!
 

2009 being the International Year of Astronomy will result in many
astronomical events and activities happening at many different venues and
locations throughout this year. Telescopes for public viewing will be set up at
many of these events and represent another to way to participate in the activity
of winter Stargazing.

Clear
Skies to all!

website;
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