On March 29th, you can help. It's easy. Print out one of our star charts for the Little Dipper and record which stars are visible in your night sky during Earth Hour and then again once the lights are back on.  Submit your results online and see your data appear on our night sky map of Canada!

What you'll need:

• a view to the North
• a printout of this Little Dipper star chart (Pour lire et imprimer ce document, il vous faut Acrobat Reader qui est gratuit. )
• a pencil

Instructions:

1. Turn out your lights at 8 p.m., it’s Earth Hour!
2. Head outside with your Little Dipper star chart and pencil. (Pour lire et imprimer ce document, il vous faut Acrobat Reader qui est gratuit. )
3. Find an unobstructed view of the sky to the North. 

Locate the Big Dipper, high in the northern sky.	Trace an imaginary line connecting the two end stars of the bowl of the Big Dipper. Extend this line until you reach a moderately bright star. This is Polaris, the North Star.

Starting at Polaris, go along the handle and around the bowl to identify the stars of the Little Dipper. How many can you see?	At 8:45, count thee stars that you can see that form the Little Dipper. Use your pencil to circle them on your star chart. Be sure to record the date, time and location of your observation. At 9:15, repeat your observation. On the same sheet, place an ‘x’ next to the stars visible in the Little Dipper. Record the time.

9. Return to www.RedShiftNow.ca/starwatch/ and submit your data online.

Observing tips and tricks

• Optimize your night vision by allowing your eyes 15 minutes to adjust to the dark. Use this time to get yourself oriented by finding the Little Dipper.
• Shield your eyes from any direct light sources—bright lights will spoil your night vision.
• If you need a flashlight, tape a piece of brown paper bag or red tissue paper across the lens of a regular flashlight. This will dim the light and preserve your night vision.

For more information about Earth Hour visit earthhour.org or wwf.ca