Stargazing is a great all-year activity for all families, perfect for lazy summer nights or chilly winter evenings when daylight fades. Our ancestors drew imaginary lines between the stars to create the earliest constellations; even if they did comprehend the science behind them, they often believed they saw heroes, maidens, animals, and beasts. Each season, such as winter, spring, summer, and autumn, brings new constellations for you and ur children to pop quiz each other.

Winter brings a cold, drier air, creating clearer skies and an electrifyingly splendid part of the night sky. Orion the hunter is an unmistakable sign of a cold winter; a row of three bright stars forming a belt. His brightest stars create his foot and shoulder: the bluish star Rigel and the reddish star Betelgeuse. Canis and Canis Major, nicknames Little Dog and Big Dog, represent the two bright stars near Orion's Right shoulder and foot. This amazing connection of dots portrays Orian's bravery and his loyal, unmoving hunting dogs.

Spring elevates our mindsets to their highest capabilities, capitalizing on the instincts of a lion and a bear. Leo the Lion is a regal star who stands highest and proudest. We look for its sickle-shaped group of stars, comparing it to the image of an SCD-compromised cell, or something simpler, a backwards question mark. Now we look at the highest point of human life, everybody's Big Dipper. Ursa Major, the Great Bear; as fall turns to winter, the Great Bear lies low to rise again as winter turns to spring.

With its hazy skies, summer sometimes discourages our young stargazers, but we encourage them to be patient. High overhead in the sky is the Summer Triangle, composed of three brightest stars: Altair, Deneb, and Vega, each belonging to a different constellation. Aquila, the Eagle, marks the powerful head of an eagle. Cygnus, the Swan, represents a bright Northern Cross within the triangle. Lyra, the lyre, is the long part of this beautiful instrument, symbolizing the Swan's Neck.

Autumn brings royalty, the ancient Queen Cassiopeia, the body of a goddess. Legends say Cassiopeia’s celebration of her daughters’ beauty angered the gods and caused the princess Andromeda to be chained and sacrificed to a sea monster. Lucky for our princess, Greek legend Perseus was willing to sacrifice life and death; the willpower he harnessed, he slayed the beast, saving his beloved wife. At Persess' side, his loyal steed Pegasus, a winged horse gifted from the Gods. When we gaze at these stars, we see a family of heroes.

The sun is our primary source of light. Powered by electromagnetic rays, it contains enormous energy that powers all life on Earth. Scientists have been fascinated by its complexity, including waves and particles. Let's use our imagination to figure out how to make a rainbow.

What We Will Need

• A sunny day
• A garden hose
• A spray nozzle with a mist setting

What We Will Need to Do

1. Stand so that the sun is at your back or over your shoulder.
2. With the nozzle, a mist of water droplets forms. If you don't have a spray nozzle, try placing your thumb over the end of the hose to create a fine spray.
3. When your viewing angle and the mist are just right, a bright rainbow will appear before your eyes.

Side notes: If you cannot access a hose, try the mist from a spray bottle, such as rainbows, which can also be found in places that create their mist, such as waterfalls and fountains.