Dark nights & starry skies

Dark nights & starry skies

It gets dark so early this time of year – the longest night and shortest day is 21st December. Cold nights can be very clear, so it’s a good time to see the stars. It’s a wonderful way to let children experience awe and wonder.

Why not go for a walk on a clear evening so you can look at the stars together? When there’s no cloud, it’s amazing what you can see in the sky at night. In cities, the light from streetlamps can mask the view of the stars. If you have the chance to see a night sky in the countryside, you’ll see even more.

These are some suggestions for explaining the night sky to your child

  • You could use google sky to learn which star is which, and find the planets, or you might look for the International Space Station passing over head!
  • There are far too many stars to count – try it with your child. The universe is bigger than we can possibly imagine, and we are so small – yet God still notices and loves each one of us.
  • Tell or read the story of the wise men who followed a star to find the Christ child. You can find it in the Bible in the gospel according to St Matthew (chapter 2, verses 1-12) or you can watch the Christmas video made by the Bible Society, below.