Last week we announced “Take Your Family to the Moon.” Many families did. Go outside and observe the moon that is.

This week we have a new announcement. It’s an old one, worth repeating. In fact, “Buzz Light Year” said it.

This week’s announcement is: “To infinity and beyond!” When you announce this to your family raise your hand in the air and repeat those words with enthusiasm.

 Wait, better not. We actually want you to do this with your family.

You watched the moon in full splendor. Certainly someone in your family noticed a few stars, even with the light of the full moon. My guess is, if you went out to “Take Your Family to the Moon” they are ready to go “To Infinity and Beyond!”

 Time to instill in your children a delight in the stars.

 You need some reasons. These are my top 7:

1.       Beauty…never miss a chance to expose your children to true beauty. The night sky is one of the most beautiful sights a human can see in a life-time.

2.       Actually, you are giving your children, and yourself an opportunity to look into infinity…and beyond.

3.       Your family likes screens. The screen of the night sky stretches horizon to horizon.

4.       Show your children something much bigger than they are. All of us need reminders that life is not centered around me.

5.       Provide them with an experience repeatable in every month of the year. The night sky changes with regular predictably providing awesome views each time you look up.

6.       Taking your family to view infinity gets them outside. Time outside is always a reliable investment.

7.       Getting your children to find beauty, wonder and delight in the night sky is the first step. Night sky watching can become a life time habit. It is healthy. It is safe.

*Bonus reason: You can actually see the glory of God in the night sky. The psalmist David knew it. He wrote: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

Want more reasons to take your children outside and view the night sky? Look at the synonyms for the two words in boldface in the verse:

Declare-announce, confirm, settle, and authorize

Proclaim-emphasize, assert, establish, and prove

 Interested?

 Call this your first “Family Infinity and Beyond Expedition.”

The equipment you need.

1.       A backyard, or borrow your neighbors for an hour one evening. If your deck is on the north side of the house-it will work. South facing decks will work if your house isn’t two stories.

2.       Dress for the weather! Wear warm clothes. Wear warm clothes, yes I repeat myself. If you are in the northern hemisphere region its winter…wear warm clothes. Since you will be looking up, there will be little activity to keep you or your children warm. Dress in layers…require boots too. (The stars we will search for are not visible in the southern hemisphere.)

3.       Eyes…isn’t wonderful? Night sky viewing tools are built in. Leave binoculars and telescopes in the house-for the first trips to view the night sky.

4.       The night sky. While winter is cold, it interferes less with the bed times of younger children. Days are short, nights are long.

5.       A circumpolar night sky chart.  

a.       A constellation is a group of stars which seems to form a shape. This shape never changes.

b.       There are 88 identifiable constellations. We’ll begin with 5.

c.       Circumpolar constellations are constellations which are visible throughout the night. They do not set as planets and the moon do. Instead they circle the Pole Star. The Pole Star/North Star remains in the same location all night. (How does that work?) That is why these constellations are called circumpolar.  

d.       Since the Pole Star or North star is always found in the north. The 5 constellations will be in the northern sky. Every night, 365 nights a year. Click on the button to see a map of them…these are the contellations to “launch” the amateur astronomers in your family.

6.       You’ll need to know which direction is north. Use your phone compass, or a real compass. (Put your phone away after you locate north…had to say that just in case.)

Preparation:

1.       Before you take your first “Family Infinity and Beyond Expedition,” Take an evening after the kids are in bed and have mom or dad step out to practice locating the circumpolar constellations. It would even better if both parents take a few moments outside together to look for the circumpolar constellations. While you are out, search for the best location in your yard to view the northern sky and its constellations. You could even call it an economy date.

2.       Indoors, show your children a copy of the 5 circumpolar constellations…count the stars in each constellation. Talk with them about what each one looks like to them. Have them explain what they look like. It will help them locate the real constellations.

3.       Before you promise a second outdoor trip…do the first one. Take enough time to be outside and locate one or two of the constellations. End the expedition before while your children are still interested. When you tell them it’s time to go in, you’ll know it is just the right time if someone says, “Do we have to?” Always end when they are motivated…they’ll be motivated to go out again…even if it is work to get all the warm clothes on.

Final thoughts…

1.       There are approximately 4,500 stars to be seen with the unaided eye…in a very dark sky.

2.       It is best to view these first 5 with the least amount of light pollution possible. Street lights illuminate the sky making the sky less dark with few visible stars.

3.       This “Family Infinity and Beyond Expedition,” is just the beginning. Astronomy is a science…complete with rich vocabulary and nearly unlimited information.

Look for more to come in the days ahead!