There’s never been a better time for Pensacola residents to turn their eyes to the sky and unlock the wonders of the universe.

With nighttime temperatures rising and celestial objects beginning to enter the night sky, stargazing opportunities are plentiful whether for veterans or those simply looking to spark a bit of awe in their routine.

A passionate group of astronomers is available locally as well as the Escambia Amateur Astronomers Association looks to make stargazing more accessible to the public. It doesn’t cost anything other than time to get involved with the EAA.

“The first thing you want to do is start to come to club stargazes and look through every different telescope that’s there,” said Lauren Rogers, EAAA officer and astronomy instructor at Pensacola State College. “What do you see here? What do you see there?

“What are your goals and what are you interested in because you don’t have to shell out thousands of dollars necessarily depending on what you’re interested in.”

More:Stargazing offers peek into joys, wonders of night sky with Escambia Amateur Astronomer's

How to get involved

Community

The Escambia Amateur Astronomer’s Association is highly active in engaging the community and spreading knowledge to the public.

The group hosts multiple monthly stargazes at local sites such as Big Lagoon State Park, Fort Pickens and the Casino Beach pavilion on Pensacola Beach. Calendar schedules are published on the group’s website (EAAA.com) while members are active on the group’s Facebook page.

Minus park entrance fees, EAAA stargazes are free to attend for the public by design. Rogers said the goal is to remove the financial barrier to entry from stargazing as well as any stigma one might feel due to an ignorance of astronomy.

“People are welcome to come to meetings and they don’t have to sign up or pay anything in advance,” Rogers said. “Just come and check it out and see what’s going on… We’ve even had people show up to stargazes with their own equipment and there’s usually someone there who can help you out.”

Equipment

The mysteries of the universe can be mapped in the palm of your hand with a wide array of apps.

StarWalk and StarMap are Rogers’ free recommendations, while pricier options like SkySafari offer more features like the ability to display images of the night sky from someone’s birthday or any other date in history.

“It helps to have your device there to give you an introduction to the night sky,” Rogers said. “There are so many things that people just don’t know. You might know the names of a few constellations, but there are 88 and most people don’t know all of those.”

Both telescopes and binoculars can provide scenic views of the night sky, though Rogers said those newly-interested in astronomy shouldn’t feel like they need to buy a telescope to get started.

The EAAA features a diverse lineup of telescope types, which Rogers said more-veteran club members love to show off.

“People that are into in astronomy like to share their toys,” Rogers said. “They want to show you what they know and they want to show what you can see (with their telescope). They are super happy to spend time talking to you and show you… so that it’s not so scary and intimidating.”

What you can see

Moon and Planets

Perhaps the most obvious celestial objects available in the night sky, the moon and planets remain easy viewing for stargazers, particularly when viewed with equipment like the ones featured by the EAAA.

Specialized cameras provide a more detailed look at the moon’s features, which EAAA officer Ed Magowan said is better viewed on nights when the moon isn’t full as the additional shadows help to show contrast in details.

“With these cameras on there, they can see all the colors and details that the human eye can’t quite pick up,” Magowan said. “The real big hit is usually the moon and the planets when they’re up.”

Jupiter and Saturn will come across the night sky this summer, though for now it’ll take a true night owl to stay up late enough to see the gas giants. Magowan estimates that Jupiter will begin to enter the night sky at a reasonable hour for public viewing in late May or early June.

“It’s always a particular thrill for people when they first see Saturn and its rings,” Magowan said. “The first time you see it through a telescope, it’ll just blow you away.”

Nebula and Galaxies

Clouds of gas and dust that surrounds stars, nebulas may look like nothing more than a fuzzy blob to the naked eye or to primitive telescopes but come into glowing focus with the color and detail-refining power of modern telescopes.

Additionally, darker viewing areas such as Opal Beach in Santa Rosa County offer clear views of the Milky Way to the south over the Gulf of Mexico.

Where you can see them

Fort Pickens and Big Lagoon State Park

Two of the more popular options for stargazing groups as well as individuals, the two state parks combine convenient locations with quiet, relatively light pollution-free locations. Additionally, gazing from inside a state park is a safer environment, according to Magowan.

“A number of us do our own observing and photography at Big Lagoon,” Magowan said. “If the weather is clear, that’s pretty much my go-to spot.”

Blackwater State Forest

When it comes to dark skies without light pollution, Magowan recommends Blackwater River State Forest in Santa Rosa County, which has several open fields off the road to set up for viewing.

“It’s not a convenient place for the public and certainly not for someone with children. But it is very dark.”

Opal Beach

Few places in the area will give a better view of the southern sky than stopping at one of the parking lots between Pensacola and Navarre Beach according to Magowan.

“They’re quite dark and have a gorgeous view of the south,” Magowan said. “In the spring and the summer they’ve got excellent views of the Milky Way.”

Eric J. Wallace can be reached at ejwallace@pnj.com or 850-525-5087.