You never know what you might see if you just look up (Photo by xamad) This weekend, you might be attending a Fourth of July party, and you'll probably be craning your neck upwards to watch fireworks displays. As you gaze, though, cast your eyes a little further upward for a glimpse of the biggest and brightest parties of them all. You won't find paparazzi or a red carpet at these parties, just dark skies filled with dazzling stars of the celestial kind. A quintessential part of the amateur astronomer scene worldwide, star parties are held in public squares, at campgrounds, on mountaintops, and even on the Grand Canyon's North Rim. Open to the public, these nighttime gatherings and weekend campouts are an excellent way to become acquainted with astronomy and the wonders of the night sky. 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, ensuring that telescopes will be set up on sidewalks, at observatories, or in parks near you. If you can't make it to the party, just step outside into the night, or plan a star party of your own. Suggested Sites... "Sky & Telescope" Event Calendar - find a star party near you. Space.com’s Star Party Survival Guide - tips for happy stargazing. Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events – 2009 - see what's up tonight -- literally. Night Sky Network - NASA's guide to clubs, events, and starry happenings. The Galileoscope: An IYA2009 Cornerstone Project - get started with an inexpensive telescope.

Directory categories: Star Parties, Astronomy Clubs, Astronomy Beginners' Guides, International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009), Astrophotography

Archived under: Astronomy, Celebrations, Events, Exploration, Holidays, Night, Outdoors, Planets, Science, Space, Stars, Summer

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(Photo by SF Buckaroo) The world feels smaller and faster than ever. We communicate in the blink of an eye and multi-task through every waking hour. Global business doesn't slow down, let alone stop, and that means more employees are working around the clock. In honor of National Night Shift Workers Day, we'd like to thank the hard-working folks who keep everything running during the graveyard shift. The police officers, security guards, truckers, and cabbies. The emergency services, cleaners, factory workers, and construction crews. The bleary-eyed clerks behind hotel, shop, and gas station counters, and the 24-hour diner waitresses who pour them all their 4 am lunch-break coffee. Shift work may have its perks -- quiet hours, better pay, time off during the "normal" business day -- and some night owls love the late shift. But it's also more dangerous and can wreak havoc on sleep patterns, diet, and general health. So how can early birds thank shift workers for our peaceful, secure sleep, our next-day delivery, and our 2am cravings for apple pie? Wait to mow the lawn tomorrow, hold those telemarketing calls, or cancel your accordion practice. After all, who wouldn't appreciate a better day's sleep? Suggested Sites... Livelyhood: Night Shift - a PBS program about the people who work the night shift and how they handle it. Night Shift Workers and Sleep - tips to help shift workers get restful sleep. Shiftworker.com - educating about sleep, nutrition, and safety issues for shift workers. Work Schedules: Shift Work and Long Work Hours - resources from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Directory categories: Shift Work, Night People, Circadian Rhythms, Late Night Bars and Restaurants, Workplace Issues

Archived under: Employment, Health, Night, Sleep, Work

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Summer Nights in Seattle (photo by Paul Takamoto) Nocturnal animals need special adaptations to survive in the dark. While humans may not have enhanced night vision or oversized ears, some have developed special skills to navigate their night environment -- like the ability to find places that are open late. Some of these night people have been busy little bats, putting together listings of late-night and 24-hour restaurants, bars, and stores. It's easier than ever for night owls from Seattle to Austin to New Haven to find fellow insomniacs during the wee hours. Morning people may not get it, but step outside at 2 a.m. and ask the street cleaners, poets, and rockers. They'll tell you there's something magical about the stillness and shadows that set in long after the sun goes down. Suggested Sites... Lunarama - a guide to late night restaurants and bars. Night People - includes information on late night activism and misconceptions about night people, plus quotes and poems about the night. Night Writer Magazine - a publication for insomniacs, late-shift workers, and night owls.

Directory categories: Night People, Late Night Bars and Restaurants, Circadian Rhythms, Insomnia

Archived under: Animals, Cultures, Night, Sleep, Society and Culture

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