In his classic autobiography Starlight Nights, Leslie Peltier once noted: "Learning the stars is a pure delight, and there are many pleasant ways to do it. No true stargazer will fail to become familiar with the constellations, and fortunate is he whose introduction to the skies comes to him through nature's eyes alone and not through any telescope. So few of those who use the eyepiece first ever get to really know the stars."

Peltier's point: If you're just getting started in astronomy, the best thing to do is to first spend some time under the stars using only your eyes to observe and to get acquainted with the brighter stars and the constellations.

The best way to do this is to purchase a good sky guide and a star chart. Just as you might consult a travel book when sightseeing in an unfamiliar city, these simple tools go a long way to help you familiarize yourself with the night sky. When consulting a sky chart, be sure to use a dim red light or make your own red-filtered flashlight by affixing red cellophane or plastic across the lens. White light will shrink your pupils, but red light will ensure that your eyes stay adapted to the dark.

Even with no optical aids, you can enjoy a wide variety of objects such as the moon and the five planets visible with the naked eye, not to mention occasional meteor showers, the passage of artificial satellites, and even, if you're lucky, the colorful aurora.

Naked-eye astronomy is also especially rewarding if you go stargazing with children, who no doubt will pepper you with questions about the various stars and constellations.