Gazing up at the sky on dark winter nights can inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity about the heavens above. What is that bright, shining thing over there? Why is that one yellow and that one red? How can you possibly see a man in the sky!?
Have no fear, for I am here to share some stargazing tips that will help answer your questions and turn you into a stargazing pro! Using a simple system I created called MOE, you’ll be able to identify celestial objects and understand your place in the universe in no time!
M is for Magnitude
This refers to the relative brightness of objects in space. The brighter something is, the greater its magnitude. Not all stars shine equally in the sky, and by comparing their apparent magnitude, we can distinguish them from one another. Many notable stars are quite bright, like Sirius, Capella, or Rigel, and their brightness compared to the stars around them can make them easy to identify.
It is worth noting that magnitude has two measurements: apparent magnitude and absolute magnitude. Objects that appear bright in the sky often have a great apparent magnitude due to their close proximity to our solar system. Some stars that seem dim may actually be 100 times brighter than another star but appear dimmer because they are many more light-years away.
A great example is the Sun. Its apparent magnitude is the greatest of any celestial object we can observe! However, many stars are 10 times, or even 100 times, bigger and brighter than our Sun and have a greater absolute magnitude.
The brightest objects visible in the northern hemisphere during the winter of 2025 are: the Sun, the Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Sirius, Mars, Arcturus, Vega, Capella, Rigel, Procyon, Betelgeuse, Regulus, and Aldebaran.
O is for Orientation
Orientation is an essential skill not only for stargazing but also for life in general. Using a compass, local landmarks, and bright celestial objects, you can figure out your relationship to the world around you. Just as the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so do the stars. The Earth’s rotation causes the sky to appear as if it is moving around us. Over the course of the night, constellations and planets shift through the sky, revealing more of the mysterious tapestry above.
By understanding your relationship to the cardinal points—north, east, south, and west—you can make accurate observations. For example, if you look west after sunset, you will see Venus shining brilliantly. However, if you look west before sunrise in the late night, you won’t see Venus at all!
This is due to the dimension of time. The Earth rotates continuously, making the starry sky move throughout the night. The stars you see facing south at 8 p.m. won’t be the same stars you see at 6 a.m. Make sure to note both the direction and time of your observations, such as “facing south at midnight” or “looking east at 8 p.m.”
Additionally, as we orbit the Sun, we see different constellations in different seasons. The night sky facing south at midnight looks very different in the summer compared to the winter.
E is for Ecliptic
This is perhaps the most confusing part of the acronym—but also the most fascinating. I highly recommend researching online diagrams to help visualize it!
The ecliptic is an imaginary curved line drawn across the night sky. It represents the Earth’s orbital plane around the Sun. The Ecliptic Plane is the path through the sky along which the Sun, Moon, and planets appear to travel. The Sun isn’t actually moving along this path—we are! As the Earth orbits the Sun, the night sky slowly shifts along this plane throughout the year.
Since ancient times, humans have observed that the planets and Sun move along this line in the sky. The ecliptic passes through the familiar constellations of the zodiac: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The word zodiac comes from the Ancient Greek, meaning “ring of little animals.”
Understanding the ecliptic is useful because many astronomical observations take place along it or in relation to it!
Putting MOE into Practice
So now what? You know about MOE, but how do you use it? First, go outside—head to a beach or open area—and look up at the sky!
Ask yourself:
Do you see a bright object in the sky? How bright or dim is it?
Are there other bright objects nearby?
Is it in the eastern, southern, western, or northern part of the sky?
Is it above or below another celestial object?
Is it noticeably brighter than the stars around it? Could it be a planet?
Is the Moon nearby?
Is it close to the Sun’s glow in the early night or morning?
By answering these questions, you are using MOE! You’ve identified its magnitude, determined its orientation, and observed its relationship to the ecliptic.
Look at you go! You’re making awesome observations like a real amateur astronomer!
Now that you understand these concepts and skills, what should you look for? I have some missions for you to embark on! Dress warmly, go out safely at night, and try to find some of these celestial objects. Use the website and app Stellarium to help you on your quests.
Astronomical Missions
Find Venus! Look west around sunset and find the big, bright, shining, wonderful, gorgeous, brilliant planet glowing in the western sky.
Where is Jupiter? Jupiter is a big, bright, yellow-gold planet that shines brilliantly in the night. It is found along the ecliptic plane and remains visible for most of the winter nights.
Can you find Orion, the celestial hunter? Notice the reddish-orange star Betelgeuse, which flickers at the top of the constellation, and the bright, steady blue of Rigel at the bottom. Orion’s belt consists of three stars with very similar magnitudes.
Where is the brightest star in the sky? Look east of Orion, slightly below him, and you’ll see Sirius scintillating like a beautiful gem in the sky.
Where the heck is Mars? Look for an orange-red celestial object along the ecliptic plane. If you find the twin constellation of Gemini, you’re in the right place!