In most cities, the only lights you can see in the night sky are those of a 747 passing overhead. So if you want to go stargazing, you’ll have to ditch the artificial city lights.
Winter is an especially good time to view stars, since the air is drier and the nights are longer. Look for viewing areas that are at high altitudes with little light pollution.
In New Mexico, Astronomy Adventures will take you to dark sky sites near Santa Fe, led by an astrophotographer who also happens to be a state park ranger.
Then there’s National Bridges National Monument in Utah, which was the first place to be designated a Dark Sky Park. At night up to 15,000 stars, including the Milky Way, can be seen from here.
The Las Vegas Astronomical Society invites astronomy enthusiasts to free stargazing parties in nearby parks like Red Rock Canyon and Death Valley.
And if you want a DIY experience, it’s in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. There’s virtually no light pollution here and all to see the show is a pair of binoculars.
For more information, visit our National Parks category.
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