Getting the most out of a clear night
- Give your eyes time. Full dark adaptation takes around 20 minutes, and one glance at a phone screen undoes it. Use a red light if you need one.
- Planets shine steadily. Stars twinkle because they are points of light; planets are tiny discs, so they hold steady.
- Measure with your hand. At arm's length, a fist spans about 10° of sky and a thumb about 2°.
- Get away from lights. Even a hedge between you and a streetlight makes a noticeable difference.
- Binoculars beat nothing. A 10×50 pair shows Jupiter's four big moons and turns Uranus into a visible dot.
New to this? Our guide on how to see the planets with your own eyes goes into more detail.