star gazing Archives - Orchard Canyon on Oak Creek

There are so many stars in the sky and before there were things like Google Maps, pioneers used the stars to travel. Because of this, they created and named a few constellations that look like certain shapes so they could look up in the night sky, see the shape and know if they were going in the right direction.

The North Star

Although not a constellation by itself, it is the most well known star, and part of a constellation as well. It’s claim to fame was leading travelers, well, north. One of the brightest stars in the sky, it’s a signal for all those walking around at night that they’re going North. If you’re ever lost, just look up at the sky and find the North Star to lead you north and hopefully to safety.

The Big Dipper

The easiest constellation to find in the sky. It looks like a giant pot and the North Star is the tip of the handle. If you use the North Star, you can see that it is a part of a group of seven stars in the constellation Ursa Major.

The Little Dipper

If you find the Big Dipper, you can draw a line to the Little Dipper with your finger. It’s right across from the Big Dipper and is just a smaller size pot in the sky. And just a side note, the Little Dipper isn’t technically a constellation; it’s an asterism or a noticeable star pattern. But it’s always a constellation in my heart. It’s trying it’s best, so it deserves a place on this list.

Cassiopeia

Another big constellation that’s easy to find is Cassiopeia. With its distinctive “W” shape formed by five bright stars, Cassiopeia is one of the most easily recognizable constellations in the night sky. Most kids find it as their first constellation since it’s so big and easy to make.

Lyra

A smaller constellation, but still a constellation is Lyra. It’s a lopsided square with a tail to it’s brightest star. Much like the Big and Little Dipper, it’s higher up in the sky than the other two. It’s most easily viewable in August, so it’s a nice to try to find it when sitting outside on a clear night.

If you want to see any of these constellations, then you should attend the Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge Night Under the Stars event! Our star guide, Dennis Young from Sedona Starlight, is ready to show you all the night sky has to offer!

WHERE: Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge

WHEN: August 17th from 7 – 10pm

This event is only available to those who book an overnight stay or a dinner reservation at Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge. Make sure you book your reservation today since space is limited!

The night sky is breathtaking. From the moon to the stars in the sky, there’s so much going on up there that we don’t know about. Luckily, we’re able to have a small peek at the universe we live in by seeing stars that are older than we’ll ever be and further away than we’ve ever traveled.

Sedona is known for it’s Red Rocks, but one other thing it should be noted for is it’s incredible view of the night sky. Stars shine down on the Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge and on August 17th, you’re able to learn a bit more about those stars. Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge will be hosting a Night Under the Stars event, taking you on a star tour and showing you constellations after a dinner served fresh from their kitchen.

We’ve gathered up a few star gazing tips so that you can make the best of your star gazing trip at Garland’s.

The first thing to realize is that there is a proper lingo that goes with star-gazing. It is important to learn certain words so you know what your star guide is talking about. A few example words are as followed:

Field of View: The circle of sky that you see when you look through a telescope or binoculars. Generally, the lower the magnification, the wider the field of view.
Limb: The edge of a celestial object’s visible disk.
Meridian: The imaginary north-south line that passes directly overhead
Star Party: A group of people who get together to view the night sky. Astronomy clubs often hold star parties to introduce stargazing to the public.

For as much as we can see with our naked eye, there’s so much more to be seen in the night sky. Using telescopes gives us a deeper look into the night sky. You’re able to see a lot more than just a few blinking dots in the sky. Make sure you know what the certain parts of the telescopes are and how they work. Check out the graphic below!

Another thing that goes hand in hand with telescopes are sky charts. Sky charts are a map of the night sky that astronomers used to use to pick out stars which told them where they were going. Now, you can download these sky charts from apps on the Apple or Andriod app store. Instead of hold up a giant map, you can just hold your phone up to the sky and see what stars are above you!

And lastly, when you’re star gazing, it’s easy to get lost in thought. What does it all mean? Why are we here? etc. So we encourage you to have fun while star gazing! You are standing under a massive universe, spanning light years! Pick out a few constellations for yourself, find a star and name it, connect the stars to make a pretty picture! Enjoy yourself!

Make sure you apply all of these tips to your trip to Garland’s on August 17th for the Night Under the Stars event! Our star guide, Dennis Young from Sedona Starlight, is ready to show you all the night sky has to offer!

WHERE: Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge

WHEN: August 17th from 7pm – 10pm

This stargazing event is only available to those who book an overnight stay or a dinner at Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge. There are a limited number of spaces, so make sure you make your reservations today!

Tag: star gazing

Let’s Talk About Constellations

The North Star

The Big Dipper

The Little Dipper

Cassiopeia

Lyra

WHERE: Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge

WHEN: August 17th from 7 – 10pm

Star Gazing 101

WHERE: Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge

WHEN: August 17th from 7pm – 10pm

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