AN ATLAS FOR CURIOUS OBSERVERSRA • DEC • HORIZON
SEASONAL PATTERNS / OBSERVER'S NOTES

Why the sky does not look the same each season

Everything here can be practiced a little at a time, from wherever you can see the sky.

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Think about Earth’s orbit

As our planet travels around the Sun, the night side points toward different backgrounds of stars during the year.

02 / 04

Account for the hour

The sky appears to rotate during the night. A chart prepared for one time may not match an observation many hours later.

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Compare sketches

Draw the brightest stars above a chosen building or tree line. Months later, use the same landmark to notice how the sky has changed.

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Sketch the relationships

Draw only the brightest stars first and add fainter ones later. Simple relative distances matter more than artistic accuracy.