The backyard observer course
This four-week evening course is designed specifically for people who have always wanted to understand what they are looking at in the night sky but do not know where to begin. You do not need to own any special equipment or have a background in physics. We focus entirely on practical skills that help you step outside on a clear evening, look up, and immediately find your bearings.
Each session is held outdoors on our flat viewing lawn, away from direct streetlights. We limit the group size to eight participants so everyone has plenty of space and time to ask questions. If the sky is overcast, we move inside our workshop room to practice with physical sky maps and optical gear, so the schedule never changes.
What you will learn
We start with the basics of orienting yourself using the major stars that are visible in every season. You will learn how to read a physical paper planisphere, which is a rotating star map that works without batteries or screens. We will also demonstrate how to set up and focus simple optical instruments without the frustration of complex gear. One past participant noted that the course “finally made the night sky feel like familiar territory instead of a vast, confusing maze.”
During the third week, we focus on identifying the visible path of the sun and planets across the sky. By the end of the month, you will be able to point out at least five major stars and estimate angles in the sky using just your hand held at arm’s length… a simple technique that works anywhere in the world.
Registration and costs
The total cost for the four-week course is 140 dollars. This fee covers all eight hours of instruction, a heavy-duty plastic planisphere to keep, and weekly printed field guides with customized charts for our local latitude. Hot cider and tea are provided during our mid-session breaks to keep everyone warm.
Classes run on consecutive Tuesday evenings from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. We recommend wearing sturdy footwear and bringing several layers of clothing — even mild autumn nights get surprisingly chilly when you are standing still for two hours.