With the warm summer weather comes the innate urge to spend time outdoors. People leave the dark caves of their rooms and take to the streets, fields or beaches to sail, play Frisbee or tan. Most of these activities only take place during the day, but once the sun sets, people tend to ignore one of the nicest and most accessible resources of natural wonder: the night sky.
Yes, this is an unendorsed PSA for the noble and romantic art of stargazing.
I propose that all Northwestern kids hold off studying for just one night this quarter to meditate on how tiny and insignificant their exams are in the grand scheme of the universe. It’s time to return to the roots of our intellectual predecessors — make like the Romans and observe some super-cool constellations.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of taking an astronomy class, never fear — there are apps that teach you all you need to know. For Apple fanatics, try “Pocket Universe.” You can hold up your iPhone or iPad in front of you, and the app will use a built-in compass to display the same view of the sky you see, complete with names of constellations and other information. An almost identical app for Android folks is called “Star3map.” So you don’t just gaze, you gaze like an astronomer.
We’ve spent Fall and Winter inside grimy bars and cramped dorms, apartments and houses — that’s enough. Fresh night air and some perspective can cure anything. Grab someone who could stand to observe some stellar beauty (astro geeks and easily impressed hook-up prospects alike), and if you’ve got them, grab a telescope, a blanket and settle down to stargaze.
WHERE TO LOOK
Landfill just east of SPAC: This is astronomy Professor Melville Ulmer’s pick for the best spot on campus. He recommends going to SkyAnd- Telescope.com and clicking the “Observing” tab for information on viewing conditions and any notable events like meteor showers and special visibility of particular planets and stars.
Alice Millar Chapel’s meditation garden: This is the perfect, semi-secluded place to chill on the bench of your choice while staring up at a perfect square of sky. The combination of the architecture and the beauty of the view above makes for a spiritual experience, no matter how religious you are.
South Beach docks: Your best bet to see the phenomenon of Lake Michigan merging with the sky, making the horizon line virtually undetectable. Once you add a generous smattering of stars, it’s as if you’ve been transported into someone’s surreal, painterly dream. Word to the wise: Bring a flashlight or, if you’re feeling particularly boss, a lantern. (Uncle Dan’s has a bunch of cool, hightech ones.) The lack of lights out on the docks makes it hard to see anything.
Raymond Park: The classic throwback to your elementary school playground trespassing days as a teen. This public park, located on the corner of Grove Street, is (officially) open until 11 p.m., which leaves you a few hours of perfectly dark sky to see. Try stargazing on the plastic slides and bridges of the playground; it’s doubtful children will be there past their bedtimes.
Roof of Swift: The Everest of all places to venture to for any Wildcat. Now, between the adrenaline rush of illegality and the unobscured view of the sky due to the high altitude, Swift Hall’s roof sweeps the competition for best stargazing locale, hands down. Just don’t leave the ladder down, or you’ll get caught.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Now, after you’ve picked your place to observe, be on the lookout for these easy-to-spot, key markers in the sky. Use these descriptions to orient yourself so you can find the more advanced constellations. Hint: It helps to physically point at these celestial shapes upon finding them, almost like you’re touching the screen of a computer. Your brain registers them as permanent, so you don’t lose the shape you just found a few seconds ago.
For the Big Dipper (an asterism, which means it’s a part of a larger constellation — in this case, Ursa Major), look for a pattern in the shape of a giant frying pan.
There’s a tiny, upside-down frying pan above the Big Dipper known as the Little Dipper, and Polaris (the North Star) is located at the top of its curved “handle.”
To locate the constellation Cassiopeia, fix your gaze to the right of the Dippers, and find a star pattern in the shape of a sideways “M” or “W.”
The Summer Triangle is (you guessed it) a triangle formed by the extremely bright stars Vega, Deneb and Altair, all parts of constellations Lyra, Cygnus and Aquila, respectively. The triangle moves directly above locations in the Northern Hemisphere during the summer months, so Chicago is the perfect place to view this constellation.