Find the Moon
Describe its phase or shape. If it is below the horizon, check when it rises.
Print a card or choose “Save as PDF.” Mark a square only after an actual observation or sky-chart check.
LOCAL REALITY ✳ / FREE PRINTABLE
Nine real observations. Three in a row.
Use a safe, familiar place with an open view. You do not need a telescope. Use a sky chart set to your time and approximate location before naming a planet or constellation. To win: record what you actually observed or checked, then complete any row, column or diagonal. “Not sure” is better than a guess.
Describe its phase or shape. If it is below the horizon, check when it rises.
Use a sky chart to check whether a bright point is a planet or star. Leave it unidentified if unsure.
Frame a small patch with your hand at arm’s length and count the stars you can see.
Sketch three stars that make a line or triangle, then compare the pattern with a chart.
Watch two star-like points for 30 seconds. Does one seem to twinkle more?
Use a sky chart to locate a constellation that is actually above your horizon.
Watch a bright point for two minutes. Check before deciding whether it is a satellite or aircraft.
Compare two bright stars. Do they seem the same color or slightly different?
Sketch a small patch of sky and compare the relative positions with a chart.
LOCAL REALITY ✳ / FREE PRINTABLE
Work with the sky you can see.
Designed for rooftops, buildings and light-polluted skies. Stay in one safe, permitted spot; do not move toward traffic or unfamiliar areas to improve the view. To win: record what you actually observed or checked, then complete any row, column or diagonal. If clouds hide everything, save this for a clearer night.
From the same spot, compare two parts of the sky. Which shows more stars?
Count stars in a small patch above the rooftops. Repeat once and compare.
Look between buildings or above the rooftops. Describe its shape if visible.
Use a sky chart to check one bright point. Leave its identity unconfirmed if unsure.
Find three stars in a line or triangle and compare your sketch with a chart.
Compare the sky near a bright outdoor light with a darker direction from where you are.
Observe two star-like points for 30 seconds. Which seems steadier?
Use a sky chart to find a constellation that is above your horizon.
Sketch the skyline and mark the Moon or stars visible above it. Add the direction you faced.