Where's your favorite place to stargaze?

[PhotonSSBM]

I'm planning a trip for next year that takes me to at least one place where I can get a good view of the sky with a telescope I'm buying this Christmas. I could just google "best stargazing spots" but I thought it would be more fun to ask you awesome people where you go when you want to get that perfect shot, while also having other beautiful/fun things to see and do. Right now I'm thinking somewhere in the American southwest early in the year, but also kind of want to visit Yosemite (some of the shots I see from there are amazing). What do you guys think?

 

[stefan r]

Rocky mountain national park is nice. It was clear sky every time I went. However, on the horizon or just over the horizon there was an electrical storm by longs peak every night. So it was a full milkyway view plus the exotic light show on the horizon.

 

[davenn]

I could just google "best stargazing spots" but I thought it would be more fun to ask you awesome people where you go when you want to get that perfect shot

anywhere where there is a lack of city /town light pollution

I recently posted in another thread an online interactive app for finding dark sites anywhere in the world

http://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.htmlcheers
Dave

 

[UsableThought]

I recently posted in another thread an online interactive app for finding dark sites anywhere in the world
http://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html

That's a terrific site, thanks for posting it. As well as the interactive map, other pages on the site give useful background info, e.g. the Home page and About page; plus the links page has links to pages with night sky photography tips, etc.; and there is also a link to the International Dark-Sky Association, for those who want to learn more. Years ago when I was a newspaper reporter, I wrote a general information piece about light pollution, so this is a good reminder for me.

I could just google "best stargazing spots" but I thought it would be more fun to ask you awesome people where you go when you want to get that perfect shot, while also having other beautiful/fun things to see and do.

Aside from the interactive map, that same site has a "List of Dark Sites" you might find useful in narrowing things down for your traveling; at a glance it seems to list quite a few national parks & wildlife areas in the U.S.