I'm sure we're not the first couple to discover the sky's beauty on a clear night. But I bet few others know exactly what they're looking at. Nate and I sure didn't, so we got some pointers - at Florida planetariums, observatories and star parties, where members of astronomy societies shared their knowledge of the heavens as well as their high-powered telescopes.

We learned how to locate constellations, and of the stories behind them. We learned that the bright light at dusk over the Gulf is actually the planet Venus. In Cocoa, we saw the planet Mars close-up, from an observatory's mammoth telescope.

But you don't need a telescope to enjoy a romantic evening of stargazing. You just need good weather - something Florida, thankfully, has plenty of. And, of course, the one who puts the stars in your eyes.


GULF COAST GAZING

 We live in Sarasota, and Nate and I have found plenty of stargazing opportunities nearby. For instance, one night in Venice, we walked the Venice Municipal Fishing Pier. The pier, which juts 700 feet over the Gulf, was busy for late at night. Besides fishermen casting their lines, there were families and other couples strolling hand-in-hand.

At the pier's tip, we searched the southern sky for Orion, the constellation marked by three stars in a diagonal that's supposed to represent the hunter's belt. We had heard about Orion, and other constellations, stars, planets and galaxies at the Bishop Planetarium in Bradenton, just north of Sarasota, the previous weekend. The planetarium offers star shows on weekend nights, and about once a month (except in summer) the shows are followed by free, open-to-the-public telescope viewings.

After the pier, we stopped in Nokomis at the jetties - one of the Gulf coast's best, but lesser-known, places to surf. It was very dark - perfect for seeing stars - and waves splashed on the rocks. We walked to the tip of the south jetty, startling two great herons standing perfectly still, apparently used to having the jetty to themselves at night.


NORTH FLORIDA NIGHTS

 Two years ago, Nate and I traveled to High Springs. We fell in love with the charming little town near Gainesville, famous for springs and outdoor adventures and home to the Grady House, a haunted B&B (don't worry - she's a friendly ghost) that immediately became one of our favorite inns.

Star-gazing was the perfect excuse to return. The Grady House has two places with spectacular views of the stars: its balcony and the huge, beautifully landscaped backyard, complete with gardens, a koi pond, bamboo grove and a gazebo hidden away in a secluded corner.

High Springs is home to the Santa Fe Canoe Outpost and the Wellness Spa, both of which plan activities around the full moon. The spa offers "Full Moon Baths" and the outpost runs a full moon paddle on the Santa Fe River.

When we were there, there wasn't a guided canoe trip, but Nate and I went on our own, two-person paddle. It was just the two of us... and four deer, an opossum, three raccoons, bats and whatever else was rustling the foliage on the riverbanks. Most of the time during our hour-and-a-half trip on the river it was so quiet we felt the need to whisper. The river seemed almost still, allowing near-perfect reflections of the palm trees and cypress knees on its shores. We saw the moon and stars through the branches of Spanish moss-draped oaks as we glided underneath.

The area also offers more "social" ways to stargaze. In Gainesville, the University of Florida's Astronomy Department offers free, public open houses on Friday nights in the observatory when school is in session (weather permitting). You can use the school's telescopes to observe the moon, stars and planets.


BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG BEND

Florida's Big Bend is home to the small fishing town of Steinhatchee, known for some of the country's best scalloping, and the coastal community of Cedar Key. It is also known for having some of the darkest skies in Florida.

A brightly lit and decorated Christmas tree on the front porch greeted us when we pulled up to our "honeymoon cottage" at Steinhatchee Landing Resort. Upon entering, we briefly worried that it was already occupied - the room was bathed in soft light, the smell of cranberry-orange wafted from a lit candle, and Pachelbel's Canon was playing in the background. It was our room all right. Someone had just made it about as warm and welcoming as possible.

The next day, we took advantage of the resort's numerous recreational activities. We kayaked on the Steinhatchee River, hiked through a nearby reserve and even tried archery. That evening our hosts, owner Dean Fowler and his 10-year-old Maltese, Justin, drove us to the "Road to Nowhere" (a.k.a. County Road 361), which is a long, perfectly straight road. According to Fowler, it was built years ago as a landing strip for drug-running planes. Since the road dead ends - it literally goes nowhere - there are no street lights, and no other cars. The nearest lights are miles away, so you get a breathtaking vista of stars for miles in each direction.

Fowler also took us out on the resort's pontoon boat. He brought along a bottle of red wine, crackers, cheese and red grapes. We munched and sipped as we chugged along the Steinhatchee, which - with its limestone outcroppings and towering cypress trees - looked much more mysterious in the moonlight. Our appetites whetted, we ate a huge dinner of local specialties - fresh-caught mullet, fried, and the best hush puppies I've ever tasted - at Roy's Restaurant, which overlooks the Gulf.

Leaving town the next morning, we drove by countless pine trees, horses and cow pastures on our way to Cedar Key. Once over the bridge, we passed artsy cafés, colorful restaurants, pelicans seemingly perched on every piling and, on the main street, balconies resembling those in New Orleans' French Quarter. We stopped at the elegant Island Room, which overlooks a small beach. During lunch - the delicious house specialty crab bisque, baked clams casino and a crab special in a buttery garlic sauce - we saw just about every boat imaginable, from sailboat to airboat. Our only regret was that we had to head home, and couldn't come back for dinner.

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SPACE COAST STARS

 Think of stargazing in Florida and the Space Coast, home to Kennedy Space Center and shuttle launches, springs to mind. The area is also home to the Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory in Cocoa. On weekend nights, you can catch a planetarium star show and then climb to the rooftop observatory.

There, Brevard Astronomical Society volunteers hold viewings - free and open to the public - through one of the largest telescopes in Florida. Nate and I saw Mars and the Orion Nebula, a fuzzy cluster of newly forming stars.

Lucky for us, the Space Coast also turned out to be quite a romantic place. We strolled through historic downtown Cocoa, full of quaint boutiques and outdoor cafés, stopping at Café Margaux, which reminded us of a Parisian restaurant where Nate and I had once dined. There was an outdoor courtyard and fountain, crimson table umbrellas and French street lights. The menu contained French and European specialties, and we chose ahi tuna and the rack of lamb. We topped off our delectable meal with an Irish Cream cheesecake, decorated by Pamela Litras, an artist and pastry designer who owns the restaurant with her husband. In fact, its Litras' own beautiful artwork that hangs on all the walls.

We stayed at the romantic Inn at Cocoa Beach. Large and lavish, with enough amenities to safely be called a beach "resort," the inn still somehow manages to feel intimate and homey. Each room is individually decorated. There's a wine and cheese social around sunset every day. Breakfast is served in the dining room, or in the brick courtyard, fountain-side. Or, do as we did - carry breakfast to your room on a tray so you can eat on your balcony, overlooking the Atlantic.


CRUISING ON THE QUEEN

 Nate and I looked around to see Penny Flaherty, owner of Island Boat Lines, topping the stairs. We had just been dancing to "White Christmas" on the stargazing deck of the Indian River Queen, a triple-deck paddle wheeler. The boat has an indoor dining room, an open-air bar and dance floor, and a top deck that's great for stargazing or slow dancing, depending on your mood.

"That is just too romantic!" exclaimed Flaherty, who had come to chat with us. "I'll talk to you later," she said and turned, laughing, back down the stairs.

Nate and I were on the Friday night dinner cruise, which costs $35 per person and departs around 7 p.m. from Cocoa Village. It includes two hours of cruising, entertainment and a casual buffet - typically southern- or Caribbean-style (and don't miss the special Indian River Queen Coffee - coffee with Kahlúa®, brandy, amaretto and Frangelico®, topped with whipped cream and a splash of Grand Marnier®).

The Queen is also available for private charters. Island Boat Lines also offers daytime eco-tours on pontoon boats.


PARTY WITH THE STARS

 So, you want to find out how to locate certain constellations. Or maybe you'd like to see the stars and planets up-close but you don't have a telescope. No matter. Just find a star party near you. Organized by astronomy clubs and societies, star parties are typically free and open to the public. They're great opportunities to learn more about the night sky, and to use high-quality telescopes.