To use this map, cut it out and attach it to a stiff backing. Hold it over your head and line up the compass points on the map's horizon to the actual direction you're facing. East and West on this map are not backwards. This is not a misprint. I guarantee that when you hold this map over your head, east and west will be in their proper positions. Also use a small flashlight and attach a red piece of cloth or red construction paper over the lens of the flashlight. You won't lose your night vision when you look at this map in red light.

Take an afternoon nap and prepare to do some serious — but comfortable — stargazing this month.

It’s not truly dark enough in Butler until after 11 p.m., but a summer night under the stars is well worth missing a few winks, especially if you’re out away from city lights.

Cut out the attached star map and take it with you, have snacks and liquid refreshments of your choice and prepare to make the stars your old friends.

Having friends and family along is wonderful, but stargazing can be a wonderful soulful solitary experience too.

Just make sure you bring the bug juice. It’s the summer stargazer’s best friend, although most of the time in most places mosquitoes knock off seeking your blood about an hour to an hour and a half after evening twilight, unless you’re like my wife and they find you extra sweet!

Over in the low western sky look for the constellation Leo the Lion, a constellation that resembles a giant backward question mark leaning over to the right.

The star at the bottom of the celestial query mark is Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. Regulus marks the heart of the lion and the rest of the question mark outlines the lion’s beastly head.

Not far away in the low southwestern sky are the planets Mars and Saturn. Neither planet is the best telescope target this month because they start the evening very low in the sky and set not all that long after evening twilight.

Through a telescope they’ll both probably be a little fuzzy or muddy looking because we have to look though more of our Earth’s blurry atmosphere to see them.

Give Saturn a look anyway to glimpse it’s extensive and beautiful ring system.

Another bright shiner in the western half of the sky is Arcturus, the brightest star of the summer sky.

At twilight’s end Arcturus is perched high in the western sky at the tail of a giant kite. That kite is more formally known as the constellation Bootes, the hunting farmer.

How the kite is supposed to be a hunting farmer is anyone’s guess. Arcturus is a giant star, more than 22 million miles in diameter and more than 36 light-years distant, with one light-year equivalent to about 6 trillion miles.

In the eastern heavens, you’ll see the prime stars of summer on the rise. As we move through July, they will be a little higher at the start of each night as the Earth in its solar orbit passes in their direction.

The best way to find your way around the summer stars is to locate the “Summer Triangle” made up of three bright stars, each one the brightest in its respective constellation. You can’t miss them. They’re the brightest stars in the east right now.

The highest and brightest star is Vega, the bright star in a small faint constellation called Lyra the harp.

The second brightest star on the lower right is Altair, the brightest in Aquila the Eagle. Altair is on the corner of a diamond that outlines the wingspan of the great bird.

The third brightest at the left corner of the summer triangle is Deneb, a star that is possibly more than 1800 light-years away. It’s also the bright star in the tail of Cygnus the Swan.

Cygnus is also known as the “Northern Cross” because that’s what it really looks like. Deneb is at the head of the Northern Cross, which is presently laying on its side as it rises in the east.

In the northern sky look for the Big Dipper hanging from its handle in the northwest along with the fainter Little Dipper standing on its handle.

The moderately bright star Polaris, otherwise known as the North Star, is at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle. Every single thing in the sky, including the sun and moon, appear to revolve around Polaris every 24 hours.

In the low southern sky there’s a bright brick red star called Antares that marks the heart of Scorpio the Scorpion, one of those few constellations that actually resembles what it’s supposed to be.

Enjoy the short but starry nights in July!

Mike Lynch is an amateur astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist for WCCO Radio in Minneapolis and author of the book, “Pennsylvania Starwatch,” available at bookstores and at www.lynchandthestars.com.