Did you know that on an average night, it is possible to view 1,500 stars in the sky? Here’s your chance to count them with this simple night sky viewer!

This activity is fun for families and can be done in any location where you have a view of the night sky.

Kids love the opportunity to stay up late, and are amazed by the number of stars they can see. Experiencing the wonders of the night sky is something kids will enjoy and remember for a very long time.

What You Will Need:

• Chipboard or heavy construction paper


• Pencil


• Scissors


• Ruler


• String or Yarn


• Small Notebook

What You Do To Make Your Viewer:

• Create a viewing frame by cutting a sheet of chipboard or heavy construction paper into an 8-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ square.


• Use a ruler to measure in 3/4″ border from each side of the chipboard and draw a 7″ x 7″ square inside.


• Using a scissors, poke a hole inside the 7″ square, cut to the pencil line, then follow the pencil line and completely cut out the 7″ square. Discard the square center, and keep the outside border – this will be your viewer frame.


• Measure and cut a length of string 32″ long. The string will become the holder for your viewer frame.


• Loop the string through the viewer frame, and tie the ends of the string into a knot. This will allow you to wear your viewer like a pendant on a necklace.

What You Do To Use Your Viewer:

• To use your viewer, put the string around your neck like you are wearing a necklace. Hold the viewer frame in your hand until the string is stretched tight. The string acts as a tool to keep your viewer at the same distance from your body each time you use it.


• When you are ready to count stars, go outside to the darkest place you can find. Hold the viewer frame in front of you until the string is tight. The stars you see inside the frame represent 1/40th of the night sky. Now hold very still, and count all the stars you can see within the frame. You might want to sit or lay on the ground to be comfortable and keep steady.


• Make a note of the number of stars observed and the location of your observation (for example, “30 stars in the backyard by the fence”.)


• Repeat the steps above, counting the stars in at least four other locations, and change your view of the stars each time.


• Once you have counted stars in five separate locations, calculate the average number of stars observed. To do this, add up all the stars spotted from all five locations, and divide that number by 5.


• Multiply the number you arrived at in the previous step by 40. This new number will give you the approximate number of stars in the night sky! Pretty cool, huh!?

Variations:

• Have each member of your family make their own star viewer. Compare the number of stars observed by each family member. Were the total star counts similar? If not, why do you think that happened?


• If you have the opportunity, do this activity near a city and then again in the country. Or have your friends and family that live in other cities, states or countries do the same activity, and report their findings to you. Compare the total star counts: are the counts different between the various locations? Why is this? Which location, city, state or country had the highest star count? Why?

Conclusion:

• This activity is an excellent demonstration of how light pollution affects the number of stars we can observe and count in the night sky. Click Turn Out the Lights! by Harcourt School for more information on the affects of light pollution.

You May Also Like:

Sky Challenger – Much more than the standard star finder wheel – it’s a fantastic tool for helping children learn astronomy. Build your own star finder with the six interchangeable wheels, each full of activities and suggested games.

The Constellations, Stars and Stories – It’s not always easy to find the 88 constellations, but this illustrated guidebook will lead you through the stars and make gazing at them a more meaningful experience.

Laser Stars – Bring the beauty and amazement of the stars into your room! This incredible laser light is sure to amaze!

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