The last month has been a particularly good one for stargazing. The Leonid meteor shower was spectacular - the best it will be for nearly 100 years. The Geminids just ended, and although we couldn't observe it in the Cincinnati area, there was a partial eclipse of the sun last Friday (the sun was still below the horizon here).

All these celestial events reminded me that this is the time of year when a star in the sky played a rather important part in history, at least for Christians, so today's sites all look to the stars.

http://www.imo.net. Although astrological conditions intensified the Leonids to a show unlikely to be duplicated any time soon, there are still nine major meteor showers each year including the Quadrantids, which will be shooting across the sky Jan. 1-6. Find out all about meteors and how to observe them at the International Meteor Organization site. There's lots of technical data here as well as solid information for beginning stargazers.

http://www.amsmeteors.org. Another good one for learning about meteor astronomy is at the American Meteor Society site. Aside from some amazing photos, the site offers a glossary of terms commonly used in respect to meteor observation.

http://www.cismall.com/deepsky. If observing ''local'' sky phenomenons isn't enough for you, you might consider joining the National Deep Sky Observers Society. Based in Louisville, their slogan is ''We start where the solar system ends.''

http://www.dibonsmith.com/stars.htm. This beautiful site defines the origins for the 88 constellations identified in the night sky. Not only does the site relate the research done on each one, it also provides links to the Greek gods and goddesses that play a part in the legends.

http://www.coldwater.k12.mi.us/lms/planetarium/myth/index.html. Here's another one with a simple choose and click navigation to each of the constellations.

http://library.thinkquest.org/12676. This one from ThinkQuest takes a look at something that is only visible because there is nothing to see. Confused? They're called black holes. Learn about them at this created-by-students report.

http://www.pfrr.alaska.edu/aurora/INDEX.HTM. Find out all about the aurora borealis and it's southern hemisphere counterpart, the aurora australis, at this site. Maps, charts, graphs, photos and time-lapse presentations make this a wonderful visit for anyone interested in the Northern Lights.

http://www.hab1.com. If seeing the stars from Earth isn't close enough, you might want to attend Space Camp. Get all your questions answered here.

Jan Perry is a Kentucky-based stargazer. Write to her with questions, comments or suggestions at SiteSeer2K@aol.com.