Stargazing checklist
The sky does the work; the list is mostly about surviving standing still in the cold for long enough to actually see anything.
17 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Location scouted in daylightChecking for trip hazards and the exact horizon line at night is far harder than doing it beforehand.
- Weather and cloud forecast checkedA clear forecast an hour before you leave beats a clear one the day before.
- Moon phase checkedA bright moon washes out fainter stars — aim for a night near new moon.
- Told someone where you're going and when you'll be back
- Telescope or binoculars
- Tripod
- Star chart or an app with a red-light night mode
- Red head torchWhite light resets night vision, which takes about twenty minutes to recover.
- Spare batteries×2Cold drains batteries far faster than a mild evening would suggest.
- Warm layers, more than you'd wear in the dayStanding still in the cold for an hour feels far colder than walking through it.
- Hat and gloves
- Blanket or a reclining chair
- Groundsheet, if sitting or lying on grass
- Hot drink in a flask
- Snacks
- Phone, charged, kept away from the eyepiece
- First aid basicsUneven ground in the dark is the most likely thing to go wrong.
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- Why does the torch need to be red?
- White light resets night vision, which takes about twenty minutes to build back up. A red light lets you check a map or a star chart without losing what you've gained.
- Does the moon matter?
- A lot — a bright moon washes out fainter stars and the Milky Way. Check the moon phase and pick a night near new moon for the darkest possible sky.
- How cold does it actually get, standing around outside at night?
- Colder than the daytime forecast suggests, because you're not moving. Dress as if for a much lower temperature than the one on your phone.