Stargazer Helper

Stargazing can happen without any gadgets, but for those who want a little extra knowhow, Mary Stewart Adams recommends the Star Walk app for phones and tablets. The software displays constellations based on the sky where you are, and Adams likes it  because “it considers the beauty of the matter at hand and isn’t just straight lines and no art.”

A few other suggestions from Northern Michigan’s star story guru:

• Binoculars are good, and easy, and if you’re on a boat, much better than a telescope.

• Also, Abrams Planetarium Sky Map, from Michigan State University. A deal at $11/year for great maps for each month, mailed quarterly.

• Red filter flashlight, for reading star maps in the dark without disturbing your night vision.

Kate Bassett writes from Harbor Springs. kate@ncpublish.com