Where stars are brightest
If you dream of crystal clear, starry, starry nights, here are the world’s best dark-sky spots for the ultimate astrotourism experience.
As Earth grows ever more populous and cities expand, opportunities to look up at the rest of the universe decrease. Across the planet, travellers are now seeking out the world’s last-remaining dark places where they can get a clear, unpolluted view of the stars.
The twinkling span of the Milky Way. A meteor streaking across the horizon. There is something primal about watching the night sky.
And nothing inspires more wanderlust than pondering the vastness of the universe underneath a sky full of constellations. Sadly, visual access to the night sky has, over the past century, become increasingly rare.
According to research by the Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute, 80 per cent of Earth’s land mass suffers from light pollution, while for 99 per cent of people in Europe and the United States, the night sky is obscured by artificial lighting.
In 2001, the International Dark-Sky Association set up a programme to award destinations working to preserve their dark skies, and astrotourism has grown since. In 2017, about seven million people travelled across the US to see the total solar eclipse, and similar pilgrimages are expected in South America this year when another eclipse will temporarily darken a swathe of the continent.
Thanks to growing awareness and increasing numbers of designated dark-sky parks, travellers can combine seeing a new place with viewing the stars, whether on a stargazing tour, at a star party, or while sipping a glass of bubbly atop a volcano. Many of the world’s great observatories are open to visitors, some offering short astronomy courses and stargazing evenings.
So what compels us to go out of our way to get a glimpse of the universe?
‘‘A hundred thousand generations of Homo sapiens before us saw the Milky Way every night,’’ says J Thomas Beckett, board chairman of Utah’s Clark Planetarium.
‘‘It’s in our DNA. But then we lit up the outdoors and literally lost sight of it. Astrotourists are reconnecting with something that has a deep, primitive meaning to humans.’’
No matter how you choose to experience the night sky, astrotourism offers a glimpse through history and an important and fascinating sense of perspective about our place in the universe.
Dark-sky parks
Designated dark-sky places, such as the parks and communities certified by the International DarkSky Association, are among the best places to see the sky free from light pollution.
Southwest United States
The clear, dry southwestern US has a great collection of dark-sky places, including the world’s first designated dark-sky park at Natural Bridges in Utah; the dark-sky city of Flagstaff, Arizona; the Cosmic Campground in New Mexico; and the Grand Canyon, which hosts an annual star party in June.
Japan
In 2018, Japan was awarded its first accredited dark-sky place: Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park in Okinawa Prefecture. The 406-square-kilometre park covers the remote sub-tropical Yaeyama Islands off Japan’s southern coast, and provides the best stargazing in the country.
Northern Britain
Some of Europe’s darkest skies can be found over the remote parts of northern Britain, including the country’s first designated dark-sky park, Northumberland National Park, and Kielder Water and Forest Park. Go Stargazing (gostargazing.co.uk), run by a former Kielder Observatory volunteer, has recommendations for stargazing spots and events around the United Kingdom.
Aurora hunting
The natural sky displays aurora borealis (Northern Lights) and aurora australis (Southern
Scandinavia
September to April is the best time to try to see the aurora from the European Arctic. Take your pick from the northern reaches of Scandinavia, with dedicated tours and accommodations.
Stewart Island, New Zealand
Head to Stewart Island from March to September to view the lesser-known aurora australis. The auroras here are said to have given the island its Ma¯ ori name – Rakiura, or ‘‘glowing skies’’.
Observatories
Often atop peaks and volcanoes, observatories