skywatch
Scanning the atmosphere
Skywatch is the practice of observing the sky, whether for weather monitoring, aircraft spotting, or searching for unusual phenomena like meteors or UFOs.
During wartime, civilian skywatchers watched for enemy aircraft.
As a verb, to skywatch is to engage in such observation: We spent the evening skywatching for the meteor shower.
Recognized celestial groupings
- planetsStar-orbiting celestial bodies
- meteorGlowing atmospheric space rock
- cometIcy orbiting body
- celestialOf the sky above
nebula · galaxy · cosmos · eclipse · lunar · solar · aurora · satellite
Atmospheric state outdoors
- cloudsAirborne water masses
- auroraAtmospheric light display
- meteorsLuminous atmospheric debris
- satellitesBodies circling larger ones
aircraft · halos · sundogs · rainbows · lightning · storms · contrails · ISS
Active during darkness
- darknessTotal absence of light
- twilightLight after sunset
- duskDimming after sundown
- nightfallOnset of darkness
starlight · moonlight · crickets · owls · silence · solitude · wonder · awe
Instrument magnifying faraway objects
- binocularsHandheld dual-lens magnifier
- tripodStabilizing support structure
- mountClimb up or steed
- eyepieceLens you look through
magnification · aperture · finderscope · tracking · alignment · redlight · planisphere · app
constellations
Recognized celestial groupings
celestial · nebula · galaxy · cosmos · eclipse · lunar · solar · aurora · satellite · heavens
weather
Atmospheric state outdoors
satellites · aircraft · halos · sundogs · rainbows · lightning · storms · contrails · ISS · iridium
nocturnal
Active during darkness
nightfall · starlight · moonlight · crickets · owls · silence · solitude · wonder · awe · vastness
telescope
Instrument magnifying faraway objects
- binocularsHandheld dual-lens magnifier
- tripodStabilizing support structure
- mountClimb up or steed
eyepiece · magnification · aperture · finderscope · tracking · alignment · redlight · planisphere · app · timing