Stargazing for beginners

In short: To get to know the night sky you do not need a telescope at first: your own eyes, a pair of binoculars and a star chart are enough to begin with.

In more detail: What matters is a dark spot, clear weather and a little patience. If you learn the bright stars and prominent constellations first, you will soon find your way around the sky.

In detail

• A dark spot: Away from towns and street lights you can see far more stars; light pollution is the biggest enemy of stargazing.
• Adapting your eyes: Your eyes need about 20 to 30 minutes to get used to the dark; even a glance at a bright screen partly undoes this.
• Red light: A torch with a red light hardly disturbs dark adaptation and helps you read the star chart.
• Finding your way: Well-known constellations such as the Plough (Big Dipper) or Orion act as signposts; planispheres or apps show what is visible right now.
• Spotting planets: Bright points that do not twinkle and slowly change position among the stars are often planets such as Venus or Jupiter (planeten-im-ueberblick).
• Binoculars: Binoculars reveal craters on the Moon, star clusters and Jupiter’s moons; for beginners they are often more useful than a cheap telescope.
• Mind the Moon: The Moon is a rewarding target but outshines faint objects; around new moon the sky is darkest (mondphasen).
• Safety: Never look at the Sun through binoculars or a telescope without a certified solar filter, as this can permanently damage your eyes; dress warmly at night.
• Special events: Meteor showers, eclipses and observatories with public viewing evenings are a good way in (meteoriten-und-sternschnuppen).