The night sky is the oldest history book of humankind. Since dawn of time, civilizations have looked up to the stars to project their myths upon them, build their calendars, and attempt to understand the architecture of our Universe. The history of astronomy helps us understanding the origins and progress of the discipline, from the antiquity of civilizations to the present day.
But the story of the sky is also being written in the present, every night, from your garden, your balcony, or even on a walk. To capture the experience, nothing beats an astronomical observation report, (CROA in French). To better enjoy the night sky, a few practical observation guides can also provide simple reference points and methods to guide you under the celestial vault.
Finally, beyond the primary aesthetic appeal that draws us to contemplation, understanding what the objects we observe truly are, why they exist, how they appear or disappear, sheds light on our universe. Modern science enriches our knowledge of the astrophysical phenomena at play, as well as a cosmological model that gives us a sense of the overall evolution of the universe of which we are a part. We will also describe some bits of it.