There was a time in my life when I went out at night, faithfully for a year, with a flashlight in one hand and a book on naked-eye astronomy in the othe. I taught myself the constellations.
That was nearly 40 years ago. But I still can find the obvious one.
The best and most beautiful – Orion – is now in its prime. It’s the Hunter – an odd rectangle of stars, with a belt of three stars on the middle. At night, when I get home late and the night is clear, I’m glad my old friend is making his seasonal appearance.
I need a serious refresher course. But the nice thing about backyard stargazing however, is that anyone can do it. All you need is a book on naked-eye astronomy, a flashlight to read it by, clear nights and the willingness to stand outside in a winter night, looking upward. As a reward, you get to know Orion.