Serious stargazing requires planning, right? A dark-sky site, a heavy telescope, a warm jacket. A long drive home. It really doesn't have to be this way. Sure, light pollution maps, Dark Sky Places and Dark Sky Discovery Sites are a stargazer's friend, but don't let a desire for ultimate darkness stop you from connecting with the night sky from anywhere you happen to be.
My favorite places to stargaze aren't necessarily my usual observing spots. If you only wait until you're under a truly dark sky to go stargazing, and you'll likely be hopelessly disoriented and unprepared. However, if you've been topping up your knowledge with micro-sessions — even if it's just the position of the brightest stars and constellations — you'll already recognize its structure. When you finally get a dark sky, you'll be ready to go deeper.
