Summer Stargazing

When it's too hot to do anything outside all day, you'll want to enjoy the fresh air at night. Our family rarely gets the opportunity to rest on hot sunny days (too many weeds to pull!), we still like to enjoy the cooler nights outside. One of our favorite things to do is stargazing.

Les used to get the kids up in the middle of the night to go out and see meteor showers. There was usually some grumbling about getting up or not knowing where we were going. I especially remember my older sister, Heather, being quite frustrated with Dad's mysterious answers to queries about our destination. But once we saw the beautiful sky, it was all worth it.

Now, if you live in the city or around street lights, it might be difficult to see all the stars. However, a quick car ride to your nearest country road will open the sky to you. We are lucky in southern Wisconsin to have less light pollution than say, New York or California. Just be careful around the road and look up!

There are plenty of websites that will explain what you're seeing, but sometimes knowing which constellation is which isn't as much fun as making your own up. Bring black paper and glow in the dark chalk (stick them under a lamp for 2-3 hours right before you head out) if you have kids. They can find a few stars and draw their own constellation. Our family also likes to look at the Milky Way (that bright, long clump across the sky) and for meteors. On or about August 12 is Perseids. It's one of the biggest meteor showers in the northern hemisphere. It last for days and usually has one night in the middle with hundreds of visible meteors. We highly recommend checking it out! It's our family's summer tradition.

What does your family do during the hot weeks in the summer?