It might be amazing for some people to look at the night sky which has infinite boundaries. It appears like a huge sea full of precious jewels which actually are stars. It is nearly impossible to get this view if you are living in a city full of huge buildings with constantly illuminating streetlamps, neon signals and traffic lights. All these astronomical delights get covered with a thick layer of constantly increasing pollution making them almost invisible.

Rural areas have some perfect spots if you love to gaze at the sky and sleep under the stars.

Camping under the Stars on a Weekend

The Countryside is a perfect place if you want to spend time with with family and friends away from the city madness. All you need to do is just take out your tent, pack your travel essentials and some food items and you are ready for a two day camp.

You can enjoy your day exploring the country landscapes and when the light fades and the sun sets you can gaze at the sky looking for the stars peeping through it. All you will be left with are the long lasting memories.

A Closer Look at the Sky

You can see somewhat around 2,000 to 3,000 individual stars with the naked eye. The star closest to our planet is Proxima Centauri, which is actually 4.2 light years far away from the Earth. If you go deeper into the calculations, one light year is equal to the distance travelled by the light in that time. And in one second the light can travel about 300 million meters. Now if you multiply this distance with the number of seconds in one year, you will actually reach to a figure which is huge and cannot be calculated.

The star which is farthest from the earth that is visible to an unaided eye is V762 Cas in the Cassiopeia constellation which is 16,308 light years away approximately.

Now if you have a viewing aid, you will be able to see the five planets, but not all at the same time. You can see Mercury and Venus, which are closer to the sun than our planet while Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter can be seen as you move outwards in the solar system. Saturn with its beautiful rings can also be seen if you have a telescope with you.

It can be fun if you spend time in identifying and looking for constellations which are nothing but the groups of stars. Plough and Orion are recognised widely. Pleiades often referred to as mini-Plough can also be recognised. Most of these constellations have names based on mythological figures. Meteor showers and occasional comets can leave a hypnotic effect on our stressful city life.

Some of the most breathtaking sights in the night sky include The Aurora Borealis or northern lights and the southern hemisphere equivalent - The Aurora Australis or southern lights which is typically a treat for the people of Australia. You can see any of these depending on where you are star gazing.

These spectacular sights keep on alternating between the different colours of the rainbow as they shift directions and form a large curtain that shimmers through the heaven. All of us staying in urban cities can never get a chance to be a part of such fascinating views which camping can give us.

A night under the stars gazing around the sky will give you a night worth remembering.