A notebook for the night sky
Small observations of the Moon, familiar star patterns, and the changing sky. A place to slow down and make sense of what is overhead.
The Moon’s visible shape changes as its position relative to Earth and the Sun changes. The phases repeat in a cycle of about a month.
Choose one evening each week and sketch the bright part you see. Add the time and the Moon’s position above the horizon; the simplest notes often reveal the clearest pattern.
A constellation is a named area of the sky. The familiar line drawings are a convenient way to remember some of its brighter stars.
Start with one recognisable pattern, then look for its neighbours. A nearby building or tree makes a useful reference point when you compare the view on different evenings.
A useful sky note can be only four lines: date, time, conditions, and one thing noticed. Add a small sketch rather than trying to record everything.
Cloud, haze, and surrounding light are part of the observation too. Returning to the same view helps make the gradual changes visible.