The lights of a city mask the stars, leaving no chance to see the world beyond earth unless you step away from the city and gaze skyward from a mountaintop or an open field. For most city-trapped folk, seeing a million pinpricks of light twinkling against the inky-black backdrop of a night sky is a new experience. Stargazing takes practice and patience, but with a star wheel (available at most nature, outdoor specialty, or hobby stores) and a star guide, you'll open up a new world for yourself and your family or friends.

The following are some favorite and easily found stars and constellations:

• North Star. You can locate this star, also known as Polaris, if you can find the Big Dipper. The beauty of the North Star is that it stays in one place in the sky, and always to the north of you. To pick it out of the mass of other twinkling stars, find the Big Dipper and then look to the two stars that make up the lip of the dipper's ladle. The North Star lies above the two stars, known as pointer stars, in a relatively straight line, approximately four to six times the distance between the two stars.
• Cassiopeia. This star was named for the wife of King Cepheus, an Ethiopian king. According to mythology, she was turned into a constellation. Look for a five-star cluster shaped like a "W" or an "M" on the north/northeast horizon just before midnight in a summer sky.
• Ursa Major. You can find this constellation (also known as the Great Bear) near the Big Dipper, which actually makes up a part of the bear. The dipper makes up the bear's back, with the handle standing in for the bear's nose. Three pairs of stars make up the bear's paws.
• Bootes. Also known as the Herdsman, this constellation resembles a large kite and is located below the Big Dipper. At the constellation's base lies Arcturus, the fourth-brightest star in the sky (look for the star's distinct orange color).
• Leo. You can find the lion just below the bear's paws between the Great Bear and the western horizon. The bluish-white star Regulus sits near the lion's chest and behind its front leg.