Star light, star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

 ─ American nursery rhyme

Central Texas ’ warm summer nights and starry skies invite adults and children alike to look up and search for favorites like Orion (the Hunter), Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) and Leo (the lion).

If you want to do some stargazing, how do you start, what do you need and where do you go?

Torvald Hessel, director of Friends of the Austin Planetarium, says, “That’s easy. On a nice night, step out and look up. It sounds funny, but that really is the best and easiest way to start. A lot of things are visible with the unaided eye. Of course, you can see stars and planets, but also the International Space Station.”

For the more serious stargazer, Hessel adds, binoculars help. If you want to go the next step and look for a telescope, expect to pay between $200 and $300 at the minimum.

Hessel also gives some general rules. “If a telescope company advertises magnification, stay away from it. The one really important piece of information is aperture, or the width of the primary lens. The larger the opening, the more light will fall in, and the more you can see.”

Here are some stargazing opportunities.

LCRA's Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park

The Austin Astronomical Society holds its star parties at Canyon of the Eagles park. While some parties are for members only, public observing nights also are offered.

Mansfield Dam Park

The Austin Dam Astronomers, a local informal group, holds its weekly meetings Fridays at the dam.

LCRA's McKinney Roughs Nature Park

From March through October, relax and float down the Colorado River under the summer night’s sky. The Light o’ the Moon floats happen once monthly, when the moon is full. Space is limited.

Friends of the Austin Planetarium

This group is dedicated to building a first-class planetarium in Austin, the largest city in the United States without one. Its Astronomy News lists easily visible planets and other observing information. Members are available for community education activities and special events.

Williamson County Astronomy Club

This club organizes monthly star parties and offers community education activities and special events. On its Observing Web page find predictions, observational targets and links to local clear sky clock information.

The Friends of the Austin Planetarium, FOTAP’s star-bubble is a mobile planetarium that seats about 25 people. Photo courtesy FOTAP.

Children enjoy exploring the sky at Kathy Caraway Elementary’s Astronomy Night.

Saturn’s moons. Photo courtesy NASA, ESA, and E. Karkoschka (University of Arizona)