The Night Sky: Star-Gazing
One of the advantages of traveling in a remote area is being able to view a beautiful starry night without the disadvantages of light pollution. Most of our camping spots allowed us a 360° horizon so we could view stars from every angle. We were all familiar with our northern skies and some of us had the opportunity to observe the southern skies, but skies that are close to the equator are a blend of the two. Orion, the Hunter, considered the finest constellation in the sky, was a snap to find. Canis Major, one of Orion's dogs, was easy to find as well, thanks to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky and part of the constellation.We were lucky to have an amateur astronomer among us willing to share his knowledge. Well, I thought we were lucky until he woke us up at 1 in the morning to observe the Southern Cross! Now that's getting a little carried away. Whatever makes you comfortable.









