sleeping under the stars with a hammock

Maybe one of those "socks" (warbonnet?). Though, I don't know if they're meant to keep out full-on precip.

Consider: Hammocks require trees. Trees usually have branches and leaves or needles obscuring at least part of the sky. You're not gonna get the sort of panoramic night sky view you'd get camping on the ground in a open spot with a bivy.

You could rig up the hammock tarp, but then just fold it over so it's only half up (ridgeline + one side). Keep the side with the better view open. Then if it starts to rain, just batten down those two remaining guylines.

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I do this in my hammock all the time – when I can use the hammock. (Not all trips are in places that allow them, or that have trees.)

You can indeed stargaze – firs have less branch spread, though it can be a pain to get your straps around them through all the branches.

I do not however have any kind of waterproof cover. I have a tarp line that I set up with the tarp and stake out all the lines, then roll up or remove the tarp for the night – if it starts to rain I just put the tarp up (takes hardly any time at all) and go back to bed.

I love laying in my hammock gazing upon the night sky and do it most nights when I'm backpacking. All it takes is the right gear.

Start with a netless hammock OR a hammock with a removable bug net. Examples include:
* Dream Hammock Free Bird (netless): http://www.dream-hammock.com/FreeBird.html
* Dream Hammock Thunderbird (removable net): http://www.dream-hammock.com/ThunderBird.html
* Or make you own like here: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/15205-Instruction-Gathered-End-Hammock

If you get a netless hammock, you'll need a bug net occassionaly. You can make your own simply or buy one like this: http://www.dream-hammock.com/BugSock.html

Of course you'll need a tarp for inclement weather. I keep a "snake skin" on mine (for example http://hennessyhammock.com/catalog/products/snakeskins-xl/ ). I always set up the tarp between the trees but I don't remove it from the snake skins unless it starts raining. With a snake skin, it's very easy to do this quickly — even in the middle of the night.

My personal rig is a homemade hammock and and bug net with a Hammock Gear tarp and snake skins.