Continue Exploring
Find sky maps, observing guides, planetarium tools, and beginner-friendly resources to help you plan your next night under the stars.
Discover What's in the Sky
Use these trusted guides to learn about visible planets, seasonal highlights, and upcoming celestial events.
Visit
NASA Skywatching
Explore monthly skywatching guides, short videos, and explanations of upcoming celestial events.
Sky & Telescope
Observing Guides
Find observing tips, star charts, event calendars, and ideas for your next night outside.
In The Sky
Observing Guide
Stay up to date with visible planets, meteor showers, eclipses, and other astronomy events happening in the night sky.
Stellarium
Web
Use an interactive sky map to see what is visible from your location on any date and at any time.
Look for Something Special
Some of the most memorable skywatching experiences happen during meteor showers, satellite passes, and seasonal celestial events.
Heavens
Above
Find visible passes of the International Space Station, satellites, and other bright objects from your location.
American
Meteor Society
Explore meteor shower calendars, peak dates, and visibility information.
NASA
What's Up
Watch NASA’s monthly skywatching video series for highlights and upcoming events.
Time and Date
Astronomical Events
Review upcoming eclipses, meteor showers, Moon events, and other skywatching highlights.
Plan For Better Views
A little planning can make your observing session easier and more rewarding.
Moon Phase
Calendar
Check the Moon’s phase before observing. Bright moonlight is excellent for lunar viewing but makes faint objects harder to see.
Light Pollution
Map
Explore sky brightness levels and compare observing locations near you.
Sun and Moon
Times
Check sunset, moonrise, moonset, and twilight times for your location.
Understand the Sky Above You
See which planets are visible and where to look for them.
Understand the Sky Above You
Weather, moonlight, nearby lighting, and location all affect what you can see through a telescope.
Bright
Objects
The Moon, planets, and double stars can often be enjoyed from urban and suburban locations.
Deep Sky
Objects
Galaxies, nebulae, and many star clusters are easier to see from darker locations with little moonlight.
Atmospheric
Conditions
Unsteady air can make planets appear to wobble or move in and out of focus.
Patience
Matters
Fainter objects often take time to locate. Your observing skills will improve with practice.
Continue Your Astronomy Journey
Return to the Library Telescope Program whenever you need telescope guidance or want to prepare for another observing session.
Borrow a Telescope
Locate participating libraries and organizations offering telescope lending.
Borrow a Telescope
Learn what to expect when borrowing a Library Telescope.
Get Started
Return to telescope videos, immediate sky tools, manuals, and first-night guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use these answers to choose the right tools for your next observing session.
For a quick overview of what is visible this month, start with NASA Skywatching. For a real-time view of the sky from your location, use Stellarium Web.
Our Goal
The Library Telescope Program™ empowers libraries to spark curiosity, expand access to astronomy, and foster community engagement through hands-on telescope lending – putting the stars within reach for all.