Answers before you enroll

If you're new to the night sky, start with night-sky navigation: finding your way around with your eyes alone. Already comfortable with the constellations? Move to binocular astronomy. Ready to buy and use a scope, choose first telescopes.

No. Night-sky navigation uses only your eyes, and binocular astronomy builds on that with a pair of binoculars. A telescope only comes in with the first telescopes course.

For night-sky navigation, nothing but a clear view of the sky. For binocular astronomy, a pair of binoculars. For first telescopes, a telescope, which the course helps you choose and set up.

Flagstaff is the world's first International Dark Sky City. Every course is taught under some of the darkest skies in North America, so what you learn applies to genuinely dark conditions, not city glow.

An astronomer who runs public star parties in Flagstaff, bringing the same hands-on teaching used under the open sky to each course.

Online. Dark Sky Field School is a course website: you learn from wherever you are, applying the skills the next time you look up.

Yes. The school is online any time, so you move through night-sky navigation, binocular astronomy or first telescopes whenever you have a clear sky or a free evening.

Browse the current courses at /courses and enroll in the one that fits where you are, from first steps with the naked eye to your first telescope.