We are now into the best of winter stargazing. The moon is in the New Moon phase on Wednesday, which gives us the best of late night and early morning stargazing for the nights ahead. Without interference from the moon, this is a time to look for the Milky Way and the faintest of celestial objects overhead.

The winter constellation favorite Orion, the hunter, rises in the east after sunset. The constellations Taurus, the bull, Gemini, the twins, and Cancer, crab, are all high in the sky. The Milky Way is almost overhead.

This is a good time to pull out the binoculars and look for the intricate features of the Milky Way. Take a closer look at the star clusters Pleiades and Hyades which make up Taurus.

Don’t let the cold nights discourage you. Dress warmly and give your eyes a chance to adjust to the dark. Martha’s Vineyard remains one of the best places to look at the night sky. Light pollution for most of the Island is at a minimum compared to the mainland.

The crescent moon will show up low in the southwest next Friday night.