GET UP HIGH

4 Elevation is everything. There are two reasons why getting yourself into an observing position high up is important. The first is that you can look to the horizons. Such a technique will help you find the planet Mercury, which is mostly hidden in the Sun’s glare. The second reason for elevation is the clarity of the night sky. If you stargaze from a high-altitude area you’re above the densest portion of Earth’s atmosphere, which causes atmospheric refraction, and so distortion. From a mountainous area stars don’t twinkle, they glow, which is why the major astronomical observatories are in highaltitude areas such as Chile, Hawaii and the Canary Islands.