Stargazing Around the World: A Tour of the Night Sky

ASTRO TRAVEL

Valerie Stimac Lonely Planet £19.99 HB

It’s a scandal that this book has to exist. Recent studies suggest skyglow is increasing by 10 per cent every year, something anyone who’s been doing astronomy in or near a UK city will know by instinct. Until governments legislate, there is only one answer: travel.

The author, Valerie Stimac, edits spacetourismguide.com and has written about astro tourism for many years. Her introduction to stargazing – how and when to do it, and what to look at – is both excellent and entertaining. There’s also a helpful introduction to star parties, a guide to visiting observatories and some beginners’ tips on astrophotography.

However, most of the book is dedicated to dark places. The 45 listed (as well as 13 observatories to visit) cover many of the major dark-sky spots worldwide, with a slight bias towards beautiful places that readers might already have on their bucket lists. That makes sense: this is a Lonely Planet book, and astro tourism is a major new trend in the travel industry.

There are dark places included here that I’ve never considered – notably in the Netherlands and Costa Rica – alongside a few that feel a little clichéd. For example, as the UK’s darkest nation, Wales is deservedly included, but Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park is the jewel, not Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). Ditto Namibia, whose Tivoli, Rooisand and Hakos ‘astrofarms’ aren’t mentioned, despite being a magnet for astronomers. Overall, though, this is a comprehensive and beautifully written introduction to astro tourism. ★★★★★

Jamie Carter writes about astro tourism and edits WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com