3 ms·

Tangential question — what's a good spot in the US to observe the stars with the naked eye? There are many such lists on the web, but I tend no to trust them.

Tangential question — what's a good spot in the US to observe the stars with the naked eye? There are many such lists on the web, but I tend no to trust them. Has anyone experienced a dark sky lately in the US?

khuey 3y ago
In the Northeast, Cherry Springs State Park in PA as someone else mentioned. Out in the Mountain West, anywhere remote will do. Partial to Yellowstone myself. In California, the east slope of the Sierras is pretty dark in most places. Even Yosemite is not terrible, though the light pollution from Fresno is noticeable.
iancmceachern 3y ago
The desert southwest. Utah, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, , parts of Colorado, etc. Just go in the winter or shoulder months so you don't melt.
- rqtwteye 3y ago
  But the Milky Way is way better in summer.
omnibrain 3y ago
On our road trip we visited Bryce Canyon. At Sunset point you get a few lights from Tropic. But when you continue to drive south there is nothing.
bradknowles 3y ago
In west Texas, there is the McDonald Observatory, see https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/ https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/ One of my wife's former co-workers is married to an astronomer who works there six months out of the year. It was amazing talking to him about his experiences.
- hooper 3y ago
  If considering a trip to this area, be sure to read about McDonald Observatory's star parties and especially the special viewing nights. It's one of the best places to look through a very large telescope in a very dark place. Even looking around from the mountain top, or just the parking lot, is a special experience.
rqtwteye 3y ago
Death Valley is very dark. Anza Borrego also in CA. Lots of places in New Mexico.
asdff 3y ago
You really don't have to venture too far from civilization to see the milky way with impressive clarity. Go camping somewhere pretty rural.
dcatx 3y ago
Big Bend National Park, a two hour drive from the McDonald observatory has extremely dark skies, as does the area immediately around the observatory. On the drive to the observatory from Fort David you’ll drive past a community of folks who live near the observatory specifically for the astronomy opportunity the dark skies there afford. The entire Big Bend region is beautiful, remote, and very dark at night. Central Idaho is also a dark, beautiful place for stargazing.

khuey 3y ago

In the Northeast, Cherry Springs State Park in PA as someone else mentioned. Out in the Mountain West, anywhere remote will do. Partial to Yellowstone myself. In California, the east slope of the Sierras is pretty dark in most places. Even Yosemite is not terrible, though the light pollution from Fresno is noticeable.

iancmceachern 3y ago

The desert southwest. Utah, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, , parts of Colorado, etc. Just go in the winter or shoulder months so you don't melt.

rqtwteye 3y ago
But the Milky Way is way better in summer.

omnibrain 3y ago

On our road trip we visited Bryce Canyon. At Sunset point you get a few lights from Tropic. But when you continue to drive south there is nothing.

bradknowles 3y ago

In west Texas, there is the McDonald Observatory, see https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/ https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/ One of my wife's former co-workers is married to an astronomer who works there six months out of the year. It was amazing talking to him about his experiences.

hooper 3y ago
If considering a trip to this area, be sure to read about McDonald Observatory's star parties and especially the special viewing nights. It's one of the best places to look through a very large telescope in a very dark place. Even looking around from the mountain top, or just the parking lot, is a special experience.

rqtwteye 3y ago

Death Valley is very dark. Anza Borrego also in CA. Lots of places in New Mexico.

asdff 3y ago

You really don't have to venture too far from civilization to see the milky way with impressive clarity. Go camping somewhere pretty rural.

dcatx 3y ago

Big Bend National Park, a two hour drive from the McDonald observatory has extremely dark skies, as does the area immediately around the observatory. On the drive to the observatory from Fort David you’ll drive past a community of folks who live near the observatory specifically for the astronomy opportunity the dark skies there afford. The entire Big Bend region is beautiful, remote, and very dark at night. Central Idaho is also a dark, beautiful place for stargazing.