Matador's Ultimate Guide to Stargazing in the US

All the best places to observe the night sky ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Under the stars]( Matador's Ultimate Guide to Stargazing in the United States Hi all, Looking up at a star-studded sky is something special. Regardless of whether you’re a dedicated astronomer or you simply enjoy getting out to a dark sky location, the United States provides a wealth of stargazing opportunities for all. And get ready for the new year, as 2024 will bring supermoons, meteor showers, exceptional opportunities to see the planets, and a total solar eclipse. There’s a host of factors to consider if you want to elevate your night sky adventures. Here is [everything you need to know]( from stargazing event calendars, maps, location and accommodation guides, as well as expert advice on all the gear you need to see the galaxies far, far away. [EXPLORE EVERYTHING STARGAZING]( [GuideGeek]( Get Inspired [stargazing site]( Every Stargazing Event To Add To Your Calendar Through 2024 This year has treated us to fairly dazzling sights in our night sky, but it’s not done yet. We still have a handful of epic meteor showers, a supermoon, and an annual solar eclipse to come. As we turn to next year, 2024 promises magical astronomical happenings every month, the highlight being the total solar eclipse in April. Whether you’re a beginner stargazer with little equipment or a seasoned astronomer, here’s every date you need to put down on your astronomy calendar. [READ MORE]( [dark sky park]( 60-Plus Dark Sky Parks Across the US for Ultimate Stargazing To admire the stars, all you need is a pitch-black sky. Finding one, though, is easier said than done. One drive out to the middle of a seemingly remote field at midnight, anticipating a view of the Milky Way, is enough to show you how wide-ranging and disruptive light pollution can be. Fortunately, there are plenty of places where you can find those clear, dark skies. [READ MORE]( [star app]( The 7 Best Apps for Stargazing and Astronomy To Download Right Now The best apps for stargazing bring the planetarium to you. Nearly all stargazing apps use augmented reality and your phone camera to show you in real-time what stars, constellations, planets, and more are in the sky above you. Just point your phone at the sky and boom — the collective human knowledge gained over thousands of years of studying the sky is at your fingertips. [READ MORE]( [northern lights]( The Best Places To See the Northern Lights in the Continental United States For many travelers, catching sight of the elusive aurora borealis is a highlight of a trip to our planet’s northern reaches. While you’re most likely to see the northern lights from places like Alaska and Canada, or Europe’s Nordic countries, there are times of year when you can also see them right from the continental United States — meaning your chance to see the aurora’s dazzling glowing bands this winter just got a lot better. [READ MORE]( [watching a solar eclipse]( How and Where To Watch the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse An extraordinary astronomical event will occur in North America on April 8, 2024: a total solar eclipse that will be visible in parts of Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The eclipse’s path of totality — where the moon passes directly in front of the sun and daytime darkness descends on Earth — stretches from Mazatlan on the Pacific Coast, across 13 states, to Canada’s Atlantic Coast. [READ MORE]( [party under the night sky]( These National Parks Come Alive at Night With Star Parties A visit to one of our national parks is a magical experience. These precious and otherworldly landscapes change dramatically through the seasons and at differing times of the day and night. When the sun goes down, and the warm sky turns dark, these protected areas turn into a new world and offer us some of the most awe-inspiring stargazing opportunities on the planet. Here are some of the best national parks for stargazing with organized events. [READ MORE]( [observatory]( The Coolest Star Observatories You Can Visit in the United States The United States is packed with observatories located on high mountain tops and splayed across a desolate desert. Beyond their beautiful terrestrial settings, many of these observatories have fueled the most important astronomical discoveries of the last century. [READ MORE]( [kayaking under the stars]( 10 Unique Astronomy and Stargazing Tours Around the World From bucket-list adventures in Peru to beginner-friendly half-day photo tours, these are 10 of the most unique astronomy and stargazing tours for when you want to escape the urban landscape and reestablish a connection with the universe (and everything beyond it). [READ MORE]( [man with a phone in the night sky]( Everything You Need To Know About Photographing the Night Sky Astrophotography is the art of capturing photos of the nighttime sky. It’s like landscape photography, except it happens in the dark hours after sunset. This type of photography requires camera gear, know-how, and determination. You can start with the equipment you already have, but grit and patience are things that can’t be bought or taught — you must want it. By the end of this guide, you’ll be armed with a few simple rules and helpful apps so you, too, can venture out and capture photos of the stars. [READ MORE]( [california stargazing road trip]( Hit California's Standout Stargazing Spots on This Epic Road Trip California offers a seemingly endless number of locations to sit down and gaze up at the cosmos. Luckily, travelers don’t have to pick just one spot and can make a road trip out of it. From SoCal’s literal “stargazer’s paradise”, to the Central Coast and Big Sur, to the dark skies of NorCal’s wine country and the Lost Coast, here’s how to plan a road trip to the best stargazing in California. [READ MORE]( [telescope]( All the Gear You Need To See Stars, Planets, and Meteor Showers There are a few essential pieces that will dramatically change your experience in a dark sky area. You don’t need to spend a fortune on the basics, either. The stargazing equipment listed here has been selected for its value for money, award-winning design and quality, ease of use, and durability. [READ MORE]( [Cactus and the night sky]( What It's Like To Take a Cross-Country Astrophotography Odyssey by Van Taking a year off and traveling cross country is a dream many never actually get to live out. Those who procrastinate and explain away their road trip reluctance often do so by citing real-life responsibilities and jobs. Taking a year-long vacation would mean neglecting a career. But what if you could do both? That’s what astrophotographer Anthony DeSantis did when he embarked on a one-year vanlife trip across the US — in a van he built himself — with the goal of turning his passion into a career. [READ MORE]( [Joshua Tree National Park]( A First-Timers Guide To a Joshua Tree Stargazing Trip A combination of minimal development in the park and small, remote communities outside the park make Joshua Tree stargazing some of the very best in North America. The park is a haven for stargazers, where the evenings play host to a celestial symphony almost every night. And that magnificent show begins with an equally magnificent sunset as the sky turns shades of pink and orange, interrupted only by the outline of the park’s distinctive Joshua trees and massive boulder piles. [READ MORE]( Epic Stays Take the headache out of planning and check out our staff picks for places to stay [Dark Sky Places to Stay]( [Dark Sky Places to Stay]( [Dark Sky Places to Stay]( [Dark Sky Places to Stay]( [Dark Sky Places to Stay]( [Dark Sky Places to Stay]( [Dark Sky Places to Stay]( [Dark Sky Places to Stay]( [Epic Stays TikTok]( FOLLOW US AND FIND YOUR NEXT #TRAVELSTOKE [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Linkedin]( [Youtube]( [Instagram]( [TikTok]( [Pinterest]( [Custom]( [Update your email frequency and topic preferences here](. Or [unsubscribe from our newsletter.]( We'll be here when you need us! Copyright © 2023 Matador Network, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Matador Network, PO Box 7775, Suite 40021, San Francisco, CA 94120, United States