Questions and answers

The International Astronomical Union recognises 88 constellations with official boundaries. Together they divide the whole sky into areas with no gaps, and from any one place on Earth only some of them are visible at different times of year.

Bright planets usually shine with a steady light, while stars near the horizon twinkle noticeably. Planets also slowly shift against the stars from week to week. A current astronomical calendar will tell you where they are now.

You need a dark site and time: settle into a reclining position and watch a wide patch of sky rather than a single point. A well-known summer shower is the Perseids, which usually peaks around 12–13 August.

Yes. The International Space Station is visible to the naked eye as a bright point that moves smoothly across the sky without blinking in a few minutes. Up-to-date pass predictions will tell you when it flies over your town; the station is visible only on certain evenings and mornings.

For most beginners binoculars are easier: they are light, give a wide field of view and immediately show lunar craters and scatterings of stars. A telescope makes sense once you can find your way around the sky with confidence.

We do not name brands or models. Choose a pair you can comfortably hold for a long time: not too heavy and with moderate magnification. If possible, hold them and aim at a distant object before buying.

No. Without a special certified solar filter for your optics, it is dangerous for your eyes. Eclipse glasses made to the ISO 12312-2 standard are intended for direct viewing and must not be used in place of a filter for binoculars or a telescope.

Rest your elbows on a railing, the back of a chair or your own knees, or better still, mount the binoculars on a tripod with an adapter. You can also observe lying on a reclining chair, which tires your arms less.

Yes, they show which constellation is overhead when you point the phone at that part of the sky. We do not name specific apps. Before going out, switch them to a dark or red theme and turn down the screen brightness.

A bright white screen undoes your dark adaptation in a second. A reddish display at minimum brightness interferes less, so faint stars don't vanish after you glance at your phone.

Many phones can capture bright stars and the outlines of constellations from a tripod in night mode. Results depend heavily on the camera and how dark the sky is: in the city light pollution swallows faint stars, while out of town you can see many more.

The camera sets the exposure for the dark background, so the Moon ends up overexposed. Tap the Moon on the screen and drag the brightness slider down; the practical guide has the details.