6 Amazing Places in the World to Go Stargazing

For as long as the humankind has existed in the world, sky is the biggest mystery of all that our kind has ever come across. It never ceased to mesmerize our ancestors, and to this date, we are still awestruck by the beauty of the sky.

Unconventional hobbies are something I cherish a great deal, and I have a couple of friends who share this trait. One fine spring night, I found a friend of mine holding a telescope, awkwardly gawking at the sky. I was intrigued by his dedication, wondering how stiff his neck must have become because I noticed him doing that for at least half an hour before I finally inquired about it. I asked him what he was looking at and he just said: “It is stargazing, rookie!”

Immediately I knew I had a new hobby to adopt. So, I started by opting for a pair of binoculars of 10×50; it is better to invest in a more reasonable option, to begin with, because you can’t be sure if you want to take up the hobby before you try it.

There are a few other essentials that you need before embarking on your very own star-trek! I will list them below:

Astronomy books

Several astronomy books can guide you about the wonders of the night sky. And you have a wide range of books to select from. Large books with beautiful photos of stars and galaxies that you can flaunt by stashing on your coffee table. Or you can choose to buy a smaller, pocket-sized version that you can easily carry with you when you go camping; or you can have both! But having a book on astronomy is a must!

Developing a night vision

Unfortunately, humans do not have the night vision of a cat! And therefore, you need to develop a night vision. A simple way of doing that is by covering a regular flashlight with red gelatin paper, so that if you need to move around or read your astronomy book/map, you can use it. It will take the night vision about 35-45 minutes to set in. Oh and do not irritate other stargazers, that’s unethical.

Buy a sky map

Sky maps are crucial if you want to become a stargazer. You see, you need a map to figure out where all the galaxies and nebulas are. If you don’t want to spend money on the map, then I have a hack for you. You can find an app that goes by the name of Night Sky on App Store; I’m not sure if Google PlayStore has it or not because I’m not an Android user.

Anyway, I find this app helpful. It highlights the portion of the sky that is visible for me, and it also guides about all the artificial satellites present in the night sky.

So, these are the basic materials that you will need for stargazing. Now, here’s a list of all the places that you can go to and explore the night sky in its utmost glory!

Mauna Kea

Some of us aren’t a huge fan of visiting the coldest places on the planet for the sole purpose of stargazing. A trip to Hawaii could also help you achieve that goal along with sunbathing. Mauna Kea Visitors Station is open every day from 9 am to 5 pm, and you can find all the information at their help desk. The views at Mauna Kea might as well make you want to adopt a star!

Big Bend National Park – Texas

This vast park is located in the heart of Texas. On an average clear night, you could easily see about 2000 stars in this park. This place is known to be one of the least light-polluted areas found in the US. If you take the Hot Springs Canyon Trail and camp at the end of it, you would be able to see a spectacular view of the night sky.

Atacama Desert, Chile

It is a beautiful placeknown for its clear skies, with minimal light pollution. The Atacama Desert is dry land, and you can seldom find any clouds in the sky, and that is the reason behind its clear skies. It is also situated at a high-altitude. This place has the geographical advantage for stargazing and therefore, it has one of the highest situated observatories in the world. So, if you want to see the world’s best views; you should consider this place.

Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve – New Zealand

Any stargazer who resides in the Southern Hemisphere ought to visit this site. This reserve was specially constructed for stargazing in 2012, and it has managed to ward off the light pollution since then. Since the reserve was constructed with the one aim of making the faintest stars visible and it spreads the area of about 4200 km, there is no light-pollution in the sky. The entire area is lit up solely by the stars.

Nova Scotia – Canada

The skies of Canada are generous for a stargazer. There are enough places in Nova Scotia for you to choose from, and each one of them provides a spectacular view of the night. The government has designated the southwest part of Nova Scotia for the sole purpose of stargazing.

These lands, known by the name of Acadian Skies and Mi’kmaq Lands have a rich history related to starlight. You would inevitably fall in love with this place.

Trysil – Norway

You might not be able to speak Norwegian, but the English-speaking guide would make sure you can know all the secrets of the Northern Lights while you soak in the spectacular view. Trysil also offers skiing, other winter sports and the most unobstructed views of the Milky Way.

The ticket for adults is for about 500 NOK, and children under 12 can visit for 250 NOK. Make sure you pack your warm clothes, hats, and socks because it’s chilly in that region.

There, you have your stargazing bucket all set! Now grab your passport and go have fun.