The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel gets a lot of buzz, but we often forget about the Earth’s “ceiling”: the stars. Being able to navigate the night sky, however, is all about understanding the transient nature of celestial bodies. They move. We move. So, how can we capture this complex relationship in a map?
A sky map is an invaluable aid based on cultural knowledge and cardinal directions, and is essential in identifying what makes up the night sky at a given time and place. While a telescope is not a requirement, trust us—as you begin to comprehend the enormity of what’s out there, you’re going to want one.
Easy to read: Guide to the Stars
This planisphere is a simple analog tool that computes what stars are visible at any time using rotating disks. If you’re located between 30 and 60 degrees north on the latitudinal scale—Canada, the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Northern China—this guide will show you how to find numerous stars, galaxies, and constellations. At 16 inches in diameter with a generous font size, you’ll want this for everything from casual backyard gazing to more close-up discoveries with binoculars or a small telescope.
Beautiful book: The Cambridge Star Atlas
More Traditional Steller Choice
The spiral-bound version is packable and hardy for repeated use. Amazon
Monthly sky maps take the place of a planisphere in this atlas, which covers both the northern and southern hemispheres. In addition to stars, clusters, and galaxies, you’ll find moon maps in Cambridge’s 95-page volume.
Just look up: Kit of 270 fluorescent STARS + STENCIL of 2 m²
Anyone can stick stars on their ceiling and call it a night. But this kit takes decorating a child’s bedroom (or yours) to a more scientific, level. It will take an hour or two to place these glow-in-the-dark stars into 31 constellations on your ceiling, using the enclosed stencil to approximate their distance in space. But you’ll be more than rewarded when your child looks up at the evening sky and says, “There’s a Big Dipper everywhere I go.”