Know before you go

What to Bring:

• warm clothes

• headlamp or flashlight with a red light

• Dark Sky Passport

• pencil

• water & snacks

• star chart

• backpack

• blanket

• binoculars

• camera

Phases of the Moon

The moon orbits the Earth every 28 days. We can only see the part of the moon that is lit up by the sun. When the moon sits between the Earth and sun, the moon appears as a shadow, or “new moon.” As the amount of sunlight grows between the new and full moon, this is called “waxing.” When there is less sunlight hitting the moon, this is called “waning.”

Can you fill in all the phases of the moon?

Why do stargazers use red lights?

Humans see best at night after being in low light for 20 minutes. Pupils dilate and the body produces a chemical that supports night vision. Red is the only color that will not interrupt this chemical process and allow night vision to continue.