Where to Stargaze

View of Milky Way at Mesa Verde National Park — Mesa Verde National Park. Point Lookout and Milky Way.
Jacob W. Frank

A whole new world comes alive at night and is waiting to be explored. When you head out at night to stargaze, take your family or friends with you, be prepared for a cool night, and let your eyes adjust to the wonder above. Here are some ideas to make your experience memorable:

At Home

Sleep in your backyard on a starlit night. Watch the stars and planets move across the night sky.

Make a red flashlight. Use red paper or cellophane to cover a white flashlight. This will help you navigate at night without compromising your night vision!

Can you see the stars as well in your backyard with the porch light on? Try different light bulbs, even different light fixtures, so that you can see the stars better. Warm, amber colors are soft on the eyes.

Around Town

From an open field or park, find the Big Dipper.The last two stars in the cup of the Big Dipper point to the North Star, which is just a bit dimmer than the individual stars in the Big Dipper.

Attend your local astronomy club's next public "star party." There you can find amateur astronomers sharing views through their telescopes.

Next time you are riding in a car, look closely at the outdoor lights. Do some shine in your eyes more than others? Can you find a light that only shines downward? Learn more about night sky friendly lighting.

In the Wilderness

Look for the Milky Way stretching across the night sky. What looks like a faint cloud is actually the light from millions and millions of distant stars. The Milky Way is our home galaxy and is best seen in summer and fall evening skies.

If the full moon is up, the Milky Way will be hard to see. Try going for a night hike instead! Let your eyes adjust to the moonlight and keep your flashlight turned off (but available for safety if needed).

In a National Park

Camp under the stars. What better way to experience the great outdoors than camping in a national park under a star-filled sky?

National parks are great places to get to know the animals that are nocturnal—wildlife that is awake at night and asleep during the day. Sit quietly and listen for these creatures.

Many national parks offer night sky programs, from telescope astronomy events to full moon walks with rangers. The following, partial list of parks aims to give a head start in your search. Other parks also have night sky programs, so be sure to check with your park if you are interested. An asterisk* denotes those parks certified by the International Dark Sky Association as dark sky destinations:

Acadia National Park
Arches National Park*

Badlands National Park
Big Bend National Park*
Big Cypress National Preserve*
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park*
Bryce Canyon National Park*
Buffalo National River*

Canyonlands National Park*

Capitol Reef National Park*
Capulin Volcano National Monument*
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Cedar Breaks National Monument*

Chaco Culture National Historical Park*
Chiricahua National Monument*
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve*

Death Valley National Park*
Denali National Park and Preserve
Dinosaur National Monument*
El Morro National Monument*
Flagstaff Area National Monuments*
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Fort Union National Monument

Grand Canyon National Park*
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument*

Great Basin National Park*
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve*

Hovenweep National Monument*
Joshua Tree National Park*

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Mesa Verde National Park*
Natural Bridges National Monument*
Obed Wild and Scenic River*

Olympic National Park
Petrified Forest National Park*
Pipe Spring National Monument*

Rocky Mountain National Park
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument*