Tips for Telescope Buying | National Air and Space Museum
Binoculars can be a good “first telescope.” They are portable and can reveal surprising detail on the Moon and planets. In fact, many celestial sights like ...
Neighborhood Stonehenge
First, are you a novice sky gazer? In that case, don’t buy a telescope just yet! Telescopes are a useful tool, but they do not teach you the night sky. Often, they can be frustrating if you get one before you’re ready. We recommend starting with a sky map to build some familiarity.  Learn a few constellations, watch for the Moon's changing phases, and find a planet if any are visible. Try our <anchor>Neighborhood Stonehenge</anchor> activity to help you get your bearings. Another great resource is your local observatory or amateur astronomy club. They likely have regular stargazing events, which are an ideal time to try out different telescopes and ask advice from knowledgeable and enthusiastic people.
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# Neighborhood Stonehenge

A Soar Together @ Air and Space Family Day Activity

Designed for families with kids ages 6 and up

This guide will show you how to use the objects in your neighborhood as markers for the cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west.

These markers can help you find stars, planets, and other objects in the sky.

## Copy heading link    Make your Neighborhood Stonehenge



## Copy heading link    Choose your observing spot

- Find a place where you can see the Sun moving through the sky. You will come back to this same spot to make all the observations listed below.

  - "Observation" means noticing things around you.

- Tip: Look for a safe outdoor area without too many things blocking your view. If you're indoors, find a window that lets you see the sky.

## Copy heading link    Find your east marker

- In the morning, go to your observing spot and notice where the Sun first appears. Look beside the Sun, not directly at it, to protect your eyes.

- Choose a landmark that is near or just below the rising Sun; it might be a building, tree, light pole, or other object.

- Record this landmark to help you remember. Options include writing in a notebook, or taking a picture.

- That landmark will be the east marker in your Neighborhood Stonehenge!

## Copy heading link    Find your west marker

- In the evening, go to your observing spot and notice where the Sun is just before it sets.

- Find a landmark that's near the Sun at that time, and record it in your notes or as a picture.

- This will be the west marker in your Neighborhood Stonehenge!

## Copy heading link    Find your south marker

- While at your observing spot, rotate your body so that the wes****t marker is now to your right, and the east marker is to your left.

- Look in the direction your body is now facing, and choose a landmark there to be your south marker.

- Record it in your notes or as a picture.

## Copy heading link    Find your north marker

- While at your observing spot, rotate your body so that the east marker is now to your right, and the west marker is to your left.

- Look in the direction your body is now facing, and choose a landmark there to be your north marker.

- Record it in your notes or as a picture.

## Copy heading link    How to record your observations



This image shows one way you can record your directional markers to help you remember them.

You could list them, describe them, draw a picture, or do several of these things! Choose whatever will help you later when you want to use your markers to show you the directions.

## Copy heading link    Use your Neighborhood Stonehenge

- Your directional markers can help you find other objects in the sky, such as the Moon and planets.

- The Moon will follow approximately the same path through the sky as the Sun does.

  - It will rise near your east marker and set near your west marker, but will appear at different times of day or night over the course of a month.

- The planets will also appear along the same path as the Moon and Sun in the sky.

  - Mercury and Venus will sometimes appear near your east or west markers, above the sunrise or sunset, because they orbit so close to the Sun.

  - The other visible planets (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) will each appear for a few months at a time. They will slowly shift from east to west in the sky over time, rising 2 hours earlier each month.


- You can use your directional markers to help you look for constellations, comets, or even satellites like the International Space Station. Look to online sources or apps to tell you which direction to find these things and when they appear.

## Copy heading link    Air and Space Connections



Image credit: Stonehenge, by Gareth Wiscombe

Soar Together @ Air and Space is made possible by the generous support of Northrop Grumman.

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