No observatory? No problem!

The streets were quiet, the parking lots were empty and there was hardly a soul in sight at Kirkwood and Indiana avenues. It was early evening the day before Thanksgiving.\nInside the Kirkwood Observatory, IU Astronomy department chairperson Catherine Pilachowski and graduate student Christian Johnson adjusted the 12-inch telescope. Twelve inches refers to the diameter of the telescope that won't be available to the eyes of the public again until spring break 2007.\nThe Kirkwood Observatory will be closed for the winter, but that does not necessarily mean you are cut off from the heavens for the rest of the season. The skies are always open, and if you know what tools to use and where to go, you can enjoy the universe all winter long.\nWith the Observatory closed, you might need to find your own viewing apparatus.\n"Pro astronomers use telescopes with mirrors that are three and a half meters in diameter," Pilachowski says. "A typical telescope for personal use is four to eight inches."\nPilachowski uses a 3.5-meter telescope at the WIYN observatory in Arizona for her research. WIYN stands for and is funded by Wisconsin, Indiana and Yale universities and the National Observatory of America.\nBut for amateur stargazers who do not have access to a three-and-a-half meter telescope, there is a more practical means to enhance their stargazing experience.\n"Binoculars are best for simple sky use," Pilachowski says.\nBinoculars are able to intensify the light that is collected by our pupils, which can only open about half a centimeter, Pilachowski says. Just like binoculars, telescopes collect light and allow us to see hundreds of stars that are too faint to be seen by the naked eye.\nBloomington resident Aleisha Kropf and her six-year-old daughter came with friends to enjoy use of the telescope at the Kirkwood Observatory on its last night of the year. Kropf says her daughter enjoys learning about the stars and planets.\n"I like to follow her interests," Kropf says.\nAnd sometimes Kropf has to leave Bloomington to follow her daughter's interests.\n"We usually go out of the city to stargaze," she adds.\nKropf says she goes north of campus to Griffy Lake to stargaze, but even there, the city lights can inhibit her experience. To really escape the city lights, Kropf will go to the campgrounds at Hardin Ridge, which is near Lake Monroe.\nPilachowski agrees that people would have to get away from the downtown lights if they want to enjoy the night sky. As the light from stars larger than our own sun shoots through space, it is often drowned out before it ever reaches human eyes because of the artificial light from ever-expanding urban centers. People are becoming much less connected with the night sky, Pilachowski says.\n"(They) should take time out to look; it's full of amazing things," Pilachowski says.\nGriffy Lake can be a fairly dark place for those stargazers who reside within the Bloomington city limits, she says. She also says that some of Bloomington's city parks such as Bryan and Southeast are good places to explore the night sky.\n"I've never been to Karst," Pilachowski says, referring to Bloomington's west side park. "My guess is Lowe's and those other stores are pretty bright, but it might be good."\nBut having good tools or a good location won't help if you don't know what you're looking at. To keep track of what to watch for in the sky, magazines and Web sites can be helpful. Pilachowski suggests Sky and Telescope magazine, Astronomy magazine and Night Sky as good resources for amateur stargazers. Web sites like nightskyinfo.com and weatherunderground.com produce nightly sky charts. Star charts show what the sky looks like in the four different seasons, and Johnson says they are also a good resource for amateur stargazers.\nAnother way to learn more about stargazing is to attend a "star party" put on by an astronomy club. Star parties are usually held in state parks, and the members of the astronomy club that are sponsoring the party bring out their telescopes and knowledge to share with anyone who is interested, Johnson says. He has attended such parties before.\n"I was surprised at the numbers," Johnson says, referring the amount of people who came to share their interest in stars.\nTwo nearby astronomy clubs are the Stone Belt Stargazers in Bedford and the Indiana Astronomical Society in Indianapolis. Pilachowski says both groups are eager for new members who want to become familiar with what's out in the night sky.\nBut sometimes even the time of year can be against a stargazer. As seasons change, so does the show in the night sky. Kropf says that she and her daughter went stargazing quite a bit last fall, but the season can make stargazing difficult. Binoculars are generally great for looking at the planets, but not at this time of year, Pilachowski says.\n"Right now the only planets we can see with the naked eye are only up during the daytime because they're near the sun," Pilachowski says.\nBut she says more planets will gradually become visible again next spring. Mars will be visible in the mornings.\nUntil then, stargazers can enjoy Orion's Belt, which can be found by looking to the south in the early morning. As winter sets in, Orion will become an evening constellation. Pilachowski says that those who can find it should use a pair of binoculars to look at the middle star in the sword.\n"The middle star of the sword is not a star at all; it's a nebula," Pilachowski says.\nAccording to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Web site, a nebula is a cloud of dust particles and gases in space. The term nebula comes from the Latin word for cloud.\nAfter aiming the telescope for guests at the Kirkwood Observatory toward a few more star attractions such as the red giant Enif and the globular cluster M15, Pilachowski and Johnson closed things up for the night and for the winter. They'll have to wait it out till spring for the ultimate light show experience.