Star Gazing

Getting away at Grand Superior includes getting away from the bright lights of any city or town. Wondering what to do with all that darkness? We love our starry nights and heartily recommend you find a comfy out-of-doors spot, lie back and star gaze.

What is all that stuff up in the sky? 

The most obvious object in the night sky is the moon. The big round moon is full. When it starts getting smaller, waning, the right side isn't visible and it fades until it is a crescent, then disappears, or is a new moon. Then we start to see an opposite crescent (backwards "C") and the moon is said to be waxing, or growing. It continues to grow and once it is bigger than a quarter, we call it a gibbous moon.

Star gazing can be especially good on a moonless, or new moon, night because there is no moon to reflect the sun. Look out at Lake Superior and a little to your left, the east, and up into the sky. Do you see a hazy white smear across the sky? That's the Milky Way, best seen in the southeast sky and brightest in the summer.

Now turn around and face the opposite direction, looking into the northwestern sky and see if you can find the Big Dipper. From July through September, it hangs from its handle with the cup facing east. As we move through the season, the Dipper rotates around Polaris, the North Star, so that in autumn, it lies flat with the cup facing up. By mid-winter, the cup has rotated to the top with the handle straight down and in spring, you will see the Dipper flat again, but with the cup emptying down.

A constellation book or night sky map is a handy way to learn constellations, stars and planets. Or just kick back, admire and wonder at the night sky. Did you know cold winter nights offer some of the best viewing? For one thing, it gets dark early and for another, those cold nights have very low humidity, making for crystal clear nights. You can bundle up and head out, or turn off all the lights and star gaze from the comforts of your lake home!