How to See the Real Colors of the Stars, Because No, They Are Not All the Same
When we think of outer space, it is usually the elementary school version of a science textbook: a dark (usually black) sky with bright white stars and several colored spots emanating from planets such as Mars and Saturn. But in real life, stars also come in a wide variety of colors – it’s just not always what we can see without a telescope or other equipment. The good news is, of the year, winter is the best time to see the true colors of the stars . Here’s what you need to know.
Wait, do the stars come in different colors?
A quick glance at the sky can give you an idea that all stars are bright white. Or, if you grew up in the 1990s and had stickers with glowing stars on your ceiling, you might think they were all neon, greenish yellow. But no: there is an abundance of colors. According to EarthSky , the higher the stars rise in the sky – above the turbulence of the Earth’s atmosphere – the brighter the colors of the stars become.
How to see the colors of the stars
On winter nights with dark, clear skies, people with relatively good eyesight should see some of the colors of the brightest stars. If conditions are right but you still can’t see anything, EarthSky suggests trying again with binoculars. But we’re not going to send you out into the wilderness in the dark without more specific instructions: here are some tips from EarthSky that might help:
- In the evening, in the northeastern sky, look for the bright golden star called Capella , Little Goat, which is part of the constellation Auriga. A star tends to flicker when lower in the sky.
- Below Aurighein there should be a bright red star just above the horizon. This is Aldebaran, part of the constellation Taurus.
- There is also Elnath , a blue and white star that is officially part of Taurus, but is usually considered part of the Auriga.
If you need more help, EarthSky has a variety of stargazing maps and resources to help.