Winter’s Star-Speckled Sky

What to see, and where to see it in Boulder and beyond

By Lisa Truesdale

On a cloudless winter night, the spacious skies over Boulder County are amazingly clear, allowing stargazers a breathtaking view they wouldn’t have in the summer. That’s because arctic winter air is arid and unable to hold as much moisture as warm air, which can appear hazy. Plus, in the winter months, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are facing away from the center of our cloudy-looking Milky Way, towards the outskirts of the galaxy’s outer spiral, the Orion Arm. Some of the brightest stars, including our sun, reside here.

“I have been amazed with the Rocky Mountain sky my whole life, especially in the winter months,” says Luke Huxley, the founder of Boulder’s AstroTours, which leads astronomy tours in Boulder, Denver and Breckenridge. “There’s just a lot more to see in the winter night sky, and this year, Jupiter will be out really nicely, too. As a bonus, darkness falls much sooner in the winter, so you don’t have to stay up as late.” 

Read on for which celestial wonders to observe in the winter sky, where best to see them in Boulder County and beyond, and what to bring on your stargazing adventure.

WHAT TO SEE

The Pleiades, also known as Seven Sisters, is a whopping 444 light years away, yet it’s visible to the naked eye on a clear night until about early April. “Though this star cluster is best viewed through binoculars or a small telescope, most people can see it without optical aid,” says Vern Raben, president of the Longmont Astronomy Club. “The stars will appear slightly bluish in color and cover an area equal to about four moon diameters.”

Orion will be visible in the early-evening winter sky through early April, Raben adds. “You’ll be able to locate the three distinctive stars in a line that form Orion’s belt,” he says. In the “sword” at Orion’s belt, you can also find the Orion Nebula. “The nebula is a huge, beautiful stellar nursery where lots of new baby stars are being born,” says Anthony Riley, lead faculty in the physics and astronomy department at Front Range Community College in Longmont. Conversely, the large red star at Orion’s shoulder is one of the oldest out there. “Betelgeuse is one of the few stars in the sky that might not be alive anymore,” Riley says. “It’s so old that humans might get to see it go supernova in the next few centuries.”

The Andromeda Galaxy, the Milky Way’s nearest galaxy neighbor, is the most distant object we can see with the naked eye. Though the best time for viewing this spiral wonder is in autumn, winter’s clear skies show it off nicely as well. 

Jupiter will be high up in the southern sky from now through spring, Raben says. “With binoculars or a small telescope, you can see several dark bands across its center,” he adds. “It can be seen in the summer and fall this year, too, but at that time of year, you’d have to get up before dawn.”

Winter is also an ideal time for viewing Mars and Uranus, says Rose Smith, the manager of the Sommers-Bausch Observatory on the CU campus. “Jupiter, Mars and Uranus should all be visible for our first few public open houses this semester,” she says. Smith is particularly excited about the observatory’s open house on Friday, March 14, Pi Day, when there will be a total lunar eclipse. “The eclipse reaches its peak at one in the morning,” she says. “This will be the most convenient total lunar eclipse in Boulder for the next ten-plus years.” 

WHERE TO SEE IT

For the best viewing of stars, constellations, planets, moons and galaxies, you’ll want to get as far away from light pollution as possible. Raben likes to head to Pawnee National Grassland, northeast of Greeley. However, the stargazing programs his club runs in conjunction with Boulder County Parks & Open Space are held locally, like at Ron Stewart Preserve on Rabbit Mountain near Lyons. 

AstroTours’ Boulder tours are held in the parking lot at the Boulder Valley Ranch Trailhead, though Huxley also likes driving up Flagstaff Road to Sunrise Amphitheater or continuing up even farther. “Walker Ranch would be even better, and you will have the mountain ridge blocking the city lights,” he says.

Other dark locations that don’t require a long drive include Button Rock Preserve west of Lyons, overlooks along the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway and Golden Gate Canyon State Park southwest of Boulder (although there’s a $12 vehicle fee, and the park closes at 10pm). “If you hike up a bit to get out of that canyon, you’ll be able to see more than just a sliver of sky,” Huxley adds.

If you’d rather stay close to home and don’t mind a little light getting in the way, try Panorama Point up Flagstaff Road or the vast expanse of lawn at Chautauqua. Raben often suggests Sandstone Ranch in Longmont as well: “The visitor center parking lot is not super dark, but there’s a great view there in all directions.” 

WHAT TO BRING

If you have your own telescope or binoculars, great—but no need to rush out and buy equipment if you aren’t ready. Thankfully, many celestial objects are visible to the naked eye when the skies are clear. Plus, hosts provide the necessary equipment if you’re attending a stargazing program or tour. Several public libraries in the county also have telescopes for loan. For example, the telescope kit from Longmont Public Library also comes with an E-Z finder sight, a headlamp, a map of geological interest points on the moon and an introductory astronomy guidebook.

As for what to wear, Huxley advises everyone to “dress like it’s 15 degrees colder than it actually is, even in the summer.” (Speaking of summer, if you’re stargazing then, also pack bug spray.)

If you’re not on one of Huxley’s tours, you’ll also appreciate something to sit on, like a folding camp chair or some blankets. You’ll want to bring a headlamp and/or flashlight, with plenty of extra batteries, and an insulated travel mug filled with a warm beverage. Before you head out—because cell reception can be spotty in remote locations—download a star-tracking app or two on your smartphone, like Sky Map, SkyView, Stellarium, Star Tracker or Star Walk.

Finally, Raben says, there’s one more thing you might need: patience. 

“It can take up to 30 minutes for your eyesight to maximally adjust to the dark.”