If you’ve been waiting to book a Northern Lights trip, it’s time to make it happen. This autumn is expected to kick off one of the strongest aurora seasons in decades—think last year’s low-latitude displays, and potentially even better.

That’s because the sun has reached its roughly 11-year peak of activity, known as solar maximum. The bright star causes auroras by sending charged particles whizzing through space. When those electrons and ions crash into our atmosphere, they spark kaleidoscopic sky swirls that aurora hunters, like me, travel the world to see.

Solar maximum isn’t the only time to catch the lights, but it does bring above-average aurora intensity and frequency. According to , the sun entered this lively period in October 2024; the awe is expected to continue at least into this fall, and likely winter.

The TL;DR? There’s no time like the present to chase those colorful curtains. And I’ve gathered tips and tricks from nearly a dozen of my aurora-chasing peers, including expert guides, space-weather scientists, and astrophotographers, to help you make the most of this once-in-a-decade Northern Lights season.

1. Know What You’re Looking for (Hint: It May Be Less Vivid Than Expected)

Northern Lights photos can be deceiving. Cameras are significantly more sensitive to light and hues than our eyes. The photos you see on Instagram, for example, are more vivid and saturated than what you’ll see in real life.

“In the northern tier of the U.S., the aurora often appears as a translucent white or silver veil to the eye, until the sensitive lens of a camera reveals their full color,” says , author and co-founder of the annual . “Watching for the structure, movement, and formations of aurora is just as important as watching for the color, if not more so.”

That said, you can still see color with your eye, especially if you’re witnessing a show in a dark location that’s far from light pollution. I’ve seen reds and greens that twist like corkscrews overhead, but that’s an exception, not the norm.

2. Monitor the Sky with Your Smartphone or Camera

Sure, it’s frustrating that our cameras get a better view of the aurora than we do, but savvy Lights chasers use that to their advantage. “Check to see if the lights are out using your phone or, better yet, a DSLR/mirrorless camera,” says astrophotographer, teacher, and author . “Take test shots facing north, and if you see green along the horizon, it’s game on.”

A subtle green glow can turn electric in minutes. The lights rapidly shift colors and shapes, and substorms—a stint when the aurora intensifies and expands southward, according to —can make the lights exceptionally eye-popping. Catching these intense displays is about being in the right place at the right time.

“If you really want to see the aurora, travel to the darkest skies near you and spend at least three to four hours taking in the awe of the night,” says Kaelin. “This will increase your chances of being present for a powerful substorm.”

3. Learn How to Read Space-Weather Forecasts

It’s helpful to download an aurora-prediction app before embarking on a lights chase, but it’s even better if you know how to read and interpret the data yourself—and I’m not just talking about Kp index. Kp, which measures geomagnetic activity on a scale from one to nine, is a tiny piece of the ribbon-hunting puzzle. More important data points include solar wind speed and Bz (the orientation of the magnetic field). I use apps like to track this.

And I also turn to the experts. Twice per day, the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center provides three-day forecasts, with insights to help amateur Lights chasers better understand what to expect. “For a bit more detail about confidence levels or uncertainty, and a description of what is actually the causal phenomena in the forecast, check out our , which is also issued twice daily,” says Shawn Dahl of the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

Monitoring real-time updates from other Lights chasers can be especially valuable. Dahl recommends the citizen-science platform , which plots sighting reports from around the world. I also use and Facebook groups like to keep tabs on what other lower-48 swirl-seekers are seeing.

4. But Don’t Obsess Over Lights Predictions

While apps and data are helpful aurora forecasting tools, the best way to chase the aurora is to actually go outside and look up. “Aurora predictions are useful, but local weather is just as important,” says Adriel Butler, president and founder of Fairbanks-based , an astrotourism getaway with sky-view igloos, stargazing cubes, and northern lights wake-up calls. “A clear night with a low aurora prediction can beat a cloudy night with a high aurora forecast.”

Even with all the best tracking technology in the world, space weather remains largely unpredictable. “A low aurora forecast doesn’t mean a no-show,” Butler says. “Be patient, check often, and don’t give up. A break in the clouds at 3 A.M. could be the best show ever.”

That’s why I always choose dark-sky accommodations during my aurora hunts. It’s easier to pop in and out of the warmth, or peek out of my tent flap, than driving back and forth to a sky-watching lookout.

5. Get Strategic with Your Location

Traveling to northerly latitudes like Iceland or Alaska will increase your sighting odds. These destinations lie within a donut-shaped zone of Lights activity known as the auroral oval, which hovers around 65 to 70 degrees latitude. The shape swells and moves further south during periods of strong geomagnetic activity, like last year’s May and October shows, where the Lights danced across nearly every state.

Low-latitude auroras are a rarity, but some contiguous U.S. locales do see lights quite regularly during solar maximum, including the northern Great Lakes region (I swear by Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) and many northern-border states.

6. Know When to Lights Chase

Certain times of the month are better for chasing than others. “Skip full moon nights,” says Jason Makela, co-founder of , a remote getaway on Michigan’s far-north Keweenaw Peninsula. “The bright light can wash out the show. Also, aim for clear, dark skies away from city lights.”

Even strategizing the hour of your aurora hunt can improve your luck. “The best aurora displays often occur between midnight and 3 A.M.,” says Shaw. “Leaving before then robs you of the opportunity to experience these beautiful events.”

Finally, consider traveling around the equinoxes. The fall and spring equinoxes are known to see “an improved chance of geomagnetic disturbances and thus a possible improved chance of aurora development,” says Dahl. Of course, nothing is guaranteed with auroras. But anecdotally, I’ve had a ton of luck with fall-equinox-timed lights pursuits. And according to the Michigan tourism board , the likelihood of aurora displays around the equinoxes nearly doubles.

7. Embrace the Challenge, and Pursue Non-Aurora Activities, Too

If your sky-watching itinerary focuses solely on the aurora, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. “Head out with the goal of spotting constellations, a satellite, or maybe even a shooting star,” says Makela. “That way, if the auroras do show up, they’ll be the icing on an already sweet evening—and if they don’t, you’ll still head home with a successful night under your belt.”

And remember that the chase is all part of the fun. “Don’t get discouraged,” says Saskatchewan-based astrophotographer . “The best part about the aurora is also the worst: It’s unpredictable and cannot be planned for. Even the most seasoned chasers have many failed attempts.”

8. Build in Buffer Days for Weather and Aurora Activity

Weather plays a major role in chasing the Northern Lights. “You could have the strongest aurora forecast, but that will mean nothing if you have clouds that night,” says Indigenous aurora hunter and guide , founder of Yellowknife-based .

Building in extra days will increase the chance of strong auroras and minimal cloud cover on the same night. “Stay three or more nights [during your aurora trip],” says Butler. “Giving yourself multiple nights greatly increases your chances of catching a show.”

In fact, the says Fairbanks Lights seekers who actively seek the swirls for at least three nights have a 90 percent success rate. This goes for many northerly locales like Yellowknife, although in places notorious for moody weather like Iceland and Greenland, I like to give myself at least one week.

9. Hire a Local Guide

From tracking forecasts to scouting locations, a lot goes into chasing the Northern Lights. That’s why I always tell first-timers to book a guide. “Local guides can help you maximize your limited aurora-chasing time by knowing where the best locations might be, or when to stay up for a late-night show,” says , expedition leader for adventure outfitter , which hosts sky-watching trips to remote and northerly Churchill, Canada. “Guides can also help you if you’re traveling to an area much colder than your normal, and keep you safe from the elements while you’re focusing on the beauty of the lights.”

And as I learned firsthand last year, it’s especially powerful to book a chase with an Indigenous aurora tracker like Buffalo Child. “This is our land,” he told me of his home in popular aurora getaway, the Northwest Territories. “Through tourism, I show people that we can be ourselves and make a living.”

10. Learn to Use Your Camera Beforehand—and Know When to Put It Down

These days, it’s almost instinctual to respond to a beautiful scene by grabbing our smartphone camera. But taking photos of the aurora on an iPhone, or any kind of smartphone or camera, does require a bit of practice.

“While some viewers like to watch with their eyes only, using a smartphone or DSLR to capture the moment is often a great way to take a trip memory home with you,” says Edye. “Newer smartphones can be very successful with aurora photography, while older models may not be able to capture the Lights or may leave you underwhelmed. DSLRs are a great way to capture the lights, but be aware of the cold and dark—knowing how to adjust your camera settings and change out batteries in the dark will save you a lot of frustration in the moment.”

And while it can be tempting to spend your whole aurora hunt photographing, it’s also important to step back and look up. “Don’t forget to watch the show itself,” says Edye. “Put the camera down and enjoy the moment.”

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There’s a reason stargazers love the Perseids. The meteor shower can spark up to 100 shooting stars per hour at peak during prime viewing years, with numerous sightings of eye-popping fireballs—the name for especially vivid and colorful meteors that can reach the same luminosity as Venus.

The Perseids, which peak in August, do come with a slight hitch: the 86-percent illuminated moon will hinder the shower’s view. But that’s no reason to skip it. Instead, rethink your Perseid-viewing plan.

Read on for your 2025 strategy to catch the buzzed-about Perseids, along with other interstellar marvels that will join them, from concurrent meteor showers to the year’s best views of the Milky Way.

What’s the Best Time to Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower in 2025?

This year’s Perseids runs from July 17 to August 23 and will peak overnight from August 12 to 13. Typically, it’s best to view a meteor shower during the stretch of highest activity, but that’s not the case this year. The meteor shower crescendos just three days after the full moon. Since lunar light pollution will hide the milder meteors, only the brightest shooting stars and fireballs will be visible.

That’s why many backyard astronomers are switching gears and watching the Perseids off-peak, in the nights and weeks leading up to that August 12 to 13 timeframe. July 29 into 30 is particularly promising, as the moon is only a quarter full, it sets around midnight (right when the Perseids action kicks into gear), and this coincides with other active meteor showers.

Improve Your Perseids View with Other Meteor Showers

While the Perseids won’t produce a flurry of 50 to 100 shooting stars in late July and early August, the timing does provide the chance to watch for four meteor showers in one night, including two that will peak from July 29 to 30.

Here are the four coinciding summer meteor showers, including when to watch, what to look for, and where you’ll see them in the sky (also known as the radiant). I recommend downloading a stargazing app for night-sky navigation.

• Alpha Capricornids: July 3 to August 15
  • Peak: July 29 to 30
  • Look near: Capricornus constellation low in the southeast sky
  • You’ll see: A mild shower with only around five meteors per hour during peak, but the potential for some dramatic fireballs.
• Southern Delta Aquariids: July 18 to August 12
  • Peak: July 29 to 30
  • Look near: Aquarius constellation low in the southern sky
  • You’ll see: Around seven meteors per hour under dark skies. To note: This one’s best viewed in the southern hemisphere and the southern part of the northern hemisphere.
• Perseids: July 17 to August 23
  • Peak: Aug 12 to 13
  • Look near: Perseus constellation in the northeast sky
  • You’ll see: Up to 100 meteors per hour under pristine conditions, although fewer are expected in 2025 due to the bright moon. Watch for fireballs, too.
• Eta Eridanids: July 31 to Aug 19
  • Peak: Aug 7 to 8
  • Look near: Eridanus constellation low in the southeast sky
  • You’ll see: A minor shower with about three fast meteors per hour at peak.

How to Watch a Meteor Shower: Tips and Tricks

Admiring a meteor shower requires a bit of planning, from choosing a strategic viewpoint to pinpointing red flags to avoid.

1. Avoid light pollution.

Just like with aurora hunting, you’ll want to avoid light pollution when chasing meteor showers. The show gets most active and brilliant under inky skies; that’s why I’m planning to watch the sky confetti from an inky lake in New York’s Adirondacks, followed by Quebec’s Mont-Mégantic, the in the world. Try a resource like this to find a dark-sky viewing place close to home.

2. Shield the moon.

If you do choose to pursue the Perseids at peak, use something—your hand, a folder, a blanket—to shield your eyes from the moon. It won’t fix the situation, but it will help you retain your night vision.

3. Use a red-light flashlight.

Speaking of night vision, it’s important to dim your phone (or use this ) and either wrap your bright-white flashlight in red cellophane or invest in a red-light lamp. Red light is easier on our eyes at night; after exposure to white beams, or a full-glow smartphone screen, our eyes require around 30 minutes to readjust to the dark.

4. Look for wide-open vistas.

Since the shooting stars could appear all over the sky, it’s wise to choose a lookout point with minimal overhead obstructions. Instead of a thick forest, for example, scout for a hilltop, desert, or field with clear sky views.

5. Consider air quality.

Unfortunately, wildfires have wreaked havoc on the Southwest’s national parks this summer. The correlating smoke is bad for your health, and its haze can obscure your night-sky views. Keep an eye on air quality updates and consider another viewpoint if thick wildfire smoke is in the forecast.

Where to See the Perseids

In most cases, like with the Perseids, stretches from around midnight until dawn. That means you’ll be out and about into the wee hours of the morning—unless you strategize your sleep. I aim for campgrounds, glamping sites, and even low-light hotels located within an area with minimal light pollution.

And there are plenty of prime meteor-shower accommodations still available (as of publication) throughout North America, whether you’re heading out for the July 29 to 30 timing, the August 12 to 13 Perseids peak, or both.

1. ULUM Moab, Utah

In late 2023, light pollution authority DarkSky International launched a new program to certify accommodations that protect their pristine nightscapes. , a glamping getaway set 40 miles south of Arches National Park, is one of the organization’s first DarkSky-certified lodges. This stamp-of-approval means you can catch the night sky marvels, from the Milky Way to the dimmer Perseids, right from camp. Or, watch the wonder nearby at Arches or Canyonlands National Parks. Suites run from $549 per night; for a less-expensive option, try (from $199), another DarkSky-certified glamping location in Moab.

2. Hébergement aux Cinq Sens, Quebec

In 2007, Quebec’s Mont-Mégantic National Park became the world’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, and it’s become one of Canada’s best-known astronomy spots. (from $98), a collection of tiny homes and yurts, lies in the heart of this pine-dotted park, which offers dozens of hiking trails for daytime adventure. It’s a great Perseids basecamp, with wide-open gathering spaces from the hotel grounds and quick access to the park’s sky-watching hub, the ASTROLab, just 16 miles away.

3. Hell Creek Campground, Montana

Nabbing a campsite in Glacier National Park may be trying, but out east, Montana’s remote and inky-sky campground options abound. Try (from $37.50 per night), located in a scenic recreational area along angling haven Fort Peck Lake. The property offers dozens of campsites with virtually zero light pollution and wide-open sky views above the still water and distant peaks.

4. Bruneau Dunes State Park, Idaho

Camp in southern Idaho’s Bruneau Dunes State Park, a DarkSky-certified destination with an onsite public observatory and North America’s tallest single-structured sand dune. The park has with unobstructed celestial views: Broken Wheel and Eagle Cove (from $25). Both have plenty of availability for the mid-August Perseids peak, with the chance to enjoy shooting stars by night and under the sun.

5. Buffalo National River, Arkansas

The Buffalo National River draws paddlers with 135 scenic miles of undammed water. Come dusk, this DarkSky Park is also a favorite among astronomy enthusiasts, with pristine nightscapes and plenty of to admire the heavens. Thick oak and hickory forests do make it tough to watch for meteors in some overnight spots, but Tyler Bend Campground (from $20) is a smart option with relatively minimal forest cover and plenty of summer availability.

6. Beaver Island Retreat, Michigan

Last year, State Wildlife Research Area on Beaver Island became Michigan’s first International Dark Sky Sanctuary, and the Lake Michigan getaway has a host of potential sky sights on offer. Pass your pre-shower hours with birding, paddling, or lake snorkeling. When it’s time to catch the show, stay overnight just north of the sanctuary, at glamping hub (from $249), where guests have ample space to spot shooting stars, fireballs, and, on lucky nights, the northern lights.

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The only thing better than sleeping under the stars is camping beneath the Milky Way’s glittery galactic center, and now is the best time to do that.

July and August provide dazzling, nearly all-night views of the core of our spiral galaxy, a luminous bulge of stars, dust, and gas. But seeing the Milky Way does require a bit of planning—something I’m currently in the throes of as I plot summer astrophotography expeditions from New Mexico to Maine.

Here’s how and when you can spot the Milky Way this summer, plus seven of the country’s best destinations for galaxy gazing.

When Is the Best Time to See the Milky Way?

You can technically see a portion of the Milky Way all year, but you can’t always admire the photogenic core. That’s due to our solar system’s location, as well as Earth’s rotation around the sun.

The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, and our solar system lies on its outer fringes. From late November through January, the sun hovers between the galactic center and Earth. We can still our galaxy’s outer reaches—a spray of bright stars and space dust—but the real treat hits in spring, when we move far enough around the sun for the Milky Way’s galactic center to come back into view.

The core is visible in the early morning hours from spring into early summer, and for a few hours after dusk in the fall. But July and August deliver eye-popping, and nearly all-night views of our galaxy’s interior—if you’re in the right place at the right time.

How Can I See the Milky Way?

Darkness is a must if you hope to see the Milky Way core. You need inky skies, and that starts with avoiding artificial light. I use ��and scout DarkSky International’s to plan my stargazing outings.

Timing is also important. Schedule your Milky Way pursuits for around five nights before and after a new moon to avoid lunar light.

And consider the light you produce out in the field. It takes our eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the dark after exposure to bright white light. That includes your phone. Once you’re safely in your stargazing spot, switch to a red-light headlamp to help preserve your night vision (or ditch light entirely), and turn off your phone. If you do need the latter to check stargazing apps or weather and safety alerts, use for a shortcut to turn your phone’s screen red.

Where Can I See the Milky Way in the U.S.?

Northerly destinations may get the best aurora views, but the Milky Way core, which travels above the southern horizon near the Sagittarius constellation, is much more visible in the lower 48 states. That’s why I focus my domestic stargazing trips on the contiguous U.S.

Here are seven of the best places to see the Milky Way across the country, as well as where to sleep beneath the stars while you’re there.

1. Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, Texas

This more than nine-million-acre reserve from Fort Davis to the Rio Grande is about as dark as skies can get in the contiguous U.S., and it’s packed with picturesque spots for galaxy viewing. Big Bend National Park is among the best of them, with beneath pristine nightscapes (permit required; from $10 per night) or the popular and peak-flanked Chisos Basin Campground (; from $16 per night). For a national park alternative that’s also within the reserve, try stargazing at Big Bend Ranch State Park, particularly along .

2. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Remote is an understatement when it comes to Capitol Reef National Park, a destination that’s almost 100 miles from the nearest traffic light. The 242,000-acre park offers numerous night-sky , including the primitive and pinyon-dotted Cathedral Valley Campground (free), Slickrock Divide on the Scenic Drive, and Panorama Point. Overnighting in the park provides the best stargazing, but you can also stay just outside its boundaries for a night of stargazing in a retro wagon at (from $199).

3. Chaco Canyon Natural Historic Park, New Mexico

Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico has long allured space enthusiasts with its dark skies and millennia-old astronomical history. Ancestral Puebloans incorporated astronomy, particularly the solar and lunar cycles, into and culture. Today, light pollution measures have preserved the skies above this UNESCO World Heritage Site and DarkSky-certified park. Pitch a tent beneath our galaxy’s glowing core at (from $20 per night); it’s located 1.5 miles from the visitor center. And don’t miss the Pueblo Bonito Overlook to see ancient ruins beneath a sea of shining stars.

4. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine

As one of the darkest places in the eastern U.S., Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is another stargazing destination for your bucket list. It’s an International DarkSky Sanctuary, with numerous views toward the heavens, including the Lunksoos picnic area and the Loop Road overlook. Given the getaway’s remoteness, camping is the easiest way to admire the Milky Way. The only caveat: you need a campground with as little forest cover as possible. For that, try (from $8 per night) on the park’s southern end for relatively open views to the night sky.

5. Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is one of my favorite lower 48 aurora-hunting perches, and it’s also a great spot to catch the Milky Way core, particularly in the Keweenaw Peninsula’s remote northern fringes. Admire our spiral galaxy from Brockway Mountain or visit the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park, located at the . You can overnight at the latter (from $225 per night) for easy stargazing access, or book a stay at lakefront (from $135), where you could catch both the northern lights and the Milky Way core in one night.

6. Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania

Light pollution plagues much of the eastern U.S., but you can easily dodge it at Pennsylvania’s DarkSky-certified Cherry Springs State Park. The stargazing hub, located 180 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, provides several options for admiring the heavens. There’s a public viewing area for hobbyist stargazers craving a few hours beneath the cosmos, or an overnight observation field with for astronomers and astrophotographers with telescopes and camera equipment; it requires a permit ($25 per night). You can also find just outside the park (from $179 per night).

7. Sinks Canyon State Park, Wyoming

Glacier-carved Sinks Canyon State Park is Wyoming’s first DarkSky-certified park. The getaway is best known for its disappearing waterway—the Popo Agie River, which seemingly stops in a limestone cavern, then reappears a quarter-mile later in a rainbow trout-filled pool. But the nightscapes are just as mind-bending in this mosaic of limestone. Enjoy the Milky Way views by camping (from $10 for Wyoming residents and $18 for nonresidents) or (from $79). Sinks Canyon lies in the Wind River Range, around 165 miles southeast of another stargazing favorite, Jackson Hole.

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If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free from anywhere in the U.S. at 1-800-273-8255.

Tangerine flames swirled as Gerry Ward sat fireside, deep in thought, with campfire crackles and wafts of ember taking his mind far beyond the Scottish Highland surroundings. It’s a scene many of us know well: a starlit woodland evening spent cozied up around a fire ring. Yet for Ward, this solo backpacking trip beneath Scotland’s Cairngorms mountains was about more than stars and s’mores. Ward, now 56, had spent most of his adolescence and early adult years navigating deep-seated childhood trauma, which eventually led to issues like chronic anxiety and alcohol abuse. Solo treks through his native Scotland during the height of his struggles, his thirties, provided rare solace from stress, trauma, and depression. “I was connecting with nature as a remedy to escape from all of that,” he recalls.

When Ward became a father at age 42, he knew he had to get clean. “I got professional help, but what helped me most of all was going back to nature,” Ward says. For him, the fire-building process, from gathering raw materials to starting and then watching the blaze, was the most therapeutic part. “Once the fire’s going, that’s when the real connection starts. The fire cracks, the smells—it goes back into our subconscious minds. We connect with our primeval brain, and that connection is a quarter of a million years old.”

Ward spent every spare weekend for more than a decade navigating recovery via these solitary fireside meditations. After realizing how much it helped him, Ward invited a friend who was struggling to join, too. It turns out, campfire camaraderie was what they both needed. “When you get two people around the fire, the inevitable happens: you start talking,” he says. “We were sharing things we would never normally share, like deep-rooted trauma. By just talking about something, you’re breaking the power it has over you.”

Since 2021, Ward has been using the healing benefits of fire to help those struggling with mental health challenges and addiction through his Scotland-based nonprofit, . He runs monthly retreats in Scotland’s great outdoors that harness the healing power of campfires. He’s not the only one tapping into fire’s therapeutic effects.

As the popularity of eco- and adventure-therapy grows, so, too, does the role of campfires. “Fire, like the other natural elements, has the ability to help someone be more comfortable in the discomfort of change processes like therapy,” says Brian Strozewski, a certified clinical adventure therapist and founder of Ohio-based .

Campfire therapy is simple: the idea is to use the fire ring’s healing and soothing benefits to help people open up while navigating trauma. in the journal Evolutionary Psychology suggested that fireside sitting can decrease blood pressure, foster relaxation, and improve social interactions. Counselors and organizations around the world have watched these results unfold before their eyes.

“Sitting around campfires, being around likeminded individuals who have gone through similar trauma experiences, then having the opportunity to talk in a safe environment about your trauma—those are all healing things,” says combat-wounded Marine Corporal of U.S.-based , a nonprofit that uses eco-therapy and specialized care to help post-9/11 veterans improve mental and physical health.

It’s a critical need; suicide is the second-leading cause of all post-9/11 veteran deaths.

The White Heart Foundation hosts eco-adventure therapy retreats to help veterans and first responders cope with trauma and psychological stressors from the frontline. The trips, run among the pines and peaks of Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, and Colorado, fulfill participants’ adrenaline needs with adventures like rock climbing and whitewater rafting. “The healing comes when people sit around the fire,” Morgan says.

Fireside sharing is peer-led. Veteran mentors, such as Morgan, a Purple Heart recipient who lost his legs during an IED accident in Afghanistan, start with their own personal stories. “We’ve had groups with people extremely closed off, they hardly say a single word during the first couple of days of the trip,” says Morgan. “By the end, they’re sharing their story with everyone. It’s an amazing transformation.”

As , sharing feelings, especially putting negative emotions and experiences into words, is an important step toward recovery and improved mental health. Ward says the fire provides a safe, less vulnerable place to open up.

“They’re not speaking to me, or anyone in particular. They’re speaking to the fire,” he says. “I’ve watched someone do an entire share of 45 minutes, and blink two or three times [without looking] at an individual. That’s the start of the healing process.”

Let’s be very clear: Fireside sharing, or really any sort of therapeutic nature experiences, is only one part of a more extensive therapy program. “Sitting by a campfire is not a magical fix to the issues,” says Morgan, noting many veteran participants have seen, or continue to see, therapists or counselors. “I believe [campfire sharing] is a helpful gateway for individuals to realize they need professional help.”

Some therapists, including Strozewski, use natural elements, such as forests and campfires, to aid their sessions. “I connect with nature as more of a co-regulator, almost like a friend or partner who is present to help the person be regulated, to feel safe, and to have internal balance,” he says. And, just like, say, rock climbing, isn’t for everyone, Strozewski notes that fireside chatting isn’t always the right call. “It’s important to consider someone’s existing relationship with fire.”

One reason Strozewski says campfires work well with nature therapy is that they’re a symbol of letting go. “Letting go of the pains and learning what that process is like is necessary so we aren’t tethered [to negative emotions],” he says. “We can move forward to what’s next.”

For years, certified therapeutic recreation specialist Kevin Gruzewski watched this release firsthand. He ran at a residential facility for teenage boys undergoing drug rehabilitation and mental health recovery in Chicago, Illinois. During these sessions, the teens jotted down their regrets, gathered by a fire, and tossed the papers into the flames. After experiencing the fire’s therapeutic effects, they enjoyed the lighthearted fun many associate with campfire hangouts: talking, joking, playing games, and sharing s’mores.

“Most of them were from the inner city; they hadn’t experienced a bonfire or being in nature,” Gruzewski says. “Some of the boys did or dealt with pretty rough things, so you could tell some of them liked that feeling of letting go, even just for that moment.”

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Few venues let you admire the heavens like national parks—particularly during star parties. These events are exactly what they sound like: gatherings of dozens to thousands of night-sky enthusiasts, all focused on watching the cosmos.

National park star parties aren’t a new phenomenon, but they’ve become particularly buzzed-about with the recent boom in astrotourism. Take Grand Canyon National Park. In 1991, the park partnered with the to host their first Grand Canyon Star Party. Now, the week-long summer celebration draws more than 1,000 nightly visitors for guided sky-watching, cultural storytelling, and astrophotography workshops. And it’s not the only park alluring travelers with astronomical awe.

National parks now host star parties across the country, with the bulk of events scheduled over the summer and early fall. That’s when the Milky Way is at its most dazzling; plus, warmer weather makes all-night fun more feasible.

Here are nine of the best national park star parties and astronomy festivals to bookmark for 2025, and a bonus nightscape celebration for early 2026.

Grand Canyon Star Party

June 21-28, 2025

There’s nothing like catching the cosmos above the Grand Canyon’s striated walls. Go all in on scenic stargazing with rangers, astronomers, and other guest experts at the this June. The event draws thousands of attendees with powerful telescopes, space presentations, Indigenous sky talks, and music designed to bring these vivid nightscapes to life. The festivities are spread across the North and South Rim visitor centers, and typically last until around 11 p.m. Attendance is free and open to the public, with park entrance starting at $35 per private vehicle.

Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival

June 26-28, 2025

See the hoodoos beneath the pinpricked heavens at the annual . This weekend-long event, which is free with park admission (starting at $35 per private vehicle), entertains visitors with astrophotography workshops, astronomical history sessions, expert-guided stargazing, and astronomy 101 talks. The final evening will bring a particularly spectacular show with Mars, the bright star Regulus, the crescent moon, and Mercury aligning in the western sky just after sunset. The Bryce Canyon National Park visitor center is the fest’s central gathering point, equipped with a telescope that’s available to the public from 10 p.m. to midnight both nights.

Badlands AstroFest

July 18-20, 2025

Stargazing among South Dakota’s striped buttes feels like sky-watching from outer space—and a stop at the annual July only elevates the wonder. This three-day event, which takes place at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, offers planetarium activations, solar telescopes (watch for sunspots—where Earth’s dazzling aurora shows originate), and guided stargazing beneath Badlands National Park’s vast skies. Numerous speakers help illuminate both the myths and science of the celestial world. Better yet: It’s a free event; you’ll just have to paypark entrance (from $30 per private vehicle).

Logan Pass Star Parties at Glacier National Park

July 25 and August 22, 2025

The Big Sky Astronomy Club hosts during the new moon at Glacier National Park each year. This summer’s events will lure astronomy enthusiasts to scenic Logan Pass, the highest point you can drive to in the park. The activities—from watching distant galaxies and neighboring planets via telescopes (don’t miss Mars just above the western horizon) to dark-sky stargazing—begin at 10 p.m., but participants must arrive at the Logan Pass parking lot by 9:30 p.m. Tickets (from $5) are required and available the day before each star party in the ; park entrance starts at $35 per private vehicle.

Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival

August 22-23, 2025

Watch the stars swim above a sea of multi-hued rock and prairie grasses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park with the . This year’s event, scheduled for late August, will include expert astronomy speakers, guided sky-watching via telescopes and laser pointers (keep watch for Saturn on the eastern horizon after sunset), and night-sky storytelling, as well as hands-on activities like astro-inspired arts and crafts. It’s free to partake, although park entrance (starting at $30 per private vehicle) is required.

Voyageurs National Park Star Party

August 29-30, 2025

Close out the summer with waterfront sky-watching at the , which runs the Friday and Saturday of Labor Day weekend. The event, hosted by Voyageurs Conservancy and several other local partners, helps visitors appreciate this DarkSky Park’s pristine nightscapes. Not only is Voyageurs famous for its countless stars, but it’s also among the country’s best national parks for chasing the aurora. This star party welcomes park-goers with telescopes, laser-pointer constellation viewing, and storytelling about this wetlands ecosystem. Details remain to-be-determined for this year’s event, but most experiences are free. (Entrance to Voyageurs National Park is also free, although for camping, houseboats, and select tours.)

Can’t make it to the summer show? Bookmark another Voyageurs sky-appreciation event——for winter astro adventuring come February.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon Dark Sky Festival

September 12-14, 2025

This September, scenic viewpoints and visitor centers across Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will welcome stargazers with telescopes, eye-popping sky viewing, and star-themed activities. The festival is free (with park admission, starting at $35 per private vehicle) and is often lauded for its fun, beginner-friendly approach to astronomy. Visitors enjoy space-movie screenings, astro-inspired arts and crafts sessions, and immersive stargazing led by local experts. Session specifics for are still being finalized, but get ready for planet watching. This year’s dates are especially ideal for spotting Saturn; the ringed planet will rise in the southeast sky after sunset with Uranus, visible only by telescope, following behind it

Great Basin Astronomy Festival

September 18-20, 2025

See Saturn, the Pleiades star cluster, the Andromeda galaxy, and countless other interstellar bodies above Nevada’s aspen forests and sagebrush-scented foothills . The annual event is free, although reservations are required for several events, including telescope sessions. The astronomy get-together includes guest speakers from NASA, tours of the Great Basin Observatory, guided stargazing, and an “art in the dark” night experience. It’s best to arrive early, because the event is first-come, first-served and reaches capacity once the Lehman Caves and Great Basin Visitor Center parking lots fill.

Joshua Tree Night Sky Festival

October 24-25, 2025

Each year, the Sky’s the Limit Nature Center and Observatory, located right outside Joshua Tree National Park’s North Station entrance, hosts a . The festival offers dark-sky stargazing and telescopes to spy on nearby Betelgeuse and Saturn’s rings, all with the stark desertscapes and dramatic silhouettes of Joshua Tree National Park as the backdrop. Tickets for this event, as well as fleshed-out event details, will be available this summer. Prices have not been announced, but tickets typically go on sale during early summer.

Death Valley Dark Sky Festival

Early 2026

The is another major NPS stargazing gathering—and for good reason. Far from city lights, Death Valley’s night skies are some of the darkest in the U.S. And, since nighttime offers a respite from the park’s famous heat this is one of the best ways to experience the valley for the first time. The annual event, which typically takes place in late February or early March, features astronomy talks, astrophotography meetups, family-friendly sky-watching tours, and telescope viewing to spy on deep space. Dates for the 2026 event will be released in the fall of 2025; tickets are free, but park entrance is required (starting at $30 per private vehicle).

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On four nights each year, sky-watchers flock to the streets of Midtown Manhattan to experience one of the nation’s best-known urban astronomical events: Manhattanhenge.

During this phenomenon—named in honor of England’s famous Stonehenge—the sunset aligns perfectly with the city’s east-west grid, sending a blaze of sunlight down the streets and casting the city in a dramatic glow. The first Manhattanhenge of 2025 begins just before sunset on May 28 and occurs again around the same time on May 29. Two more golden-hour alignments follow in July.

The Big Apple isn’t the only destination to enjoy this urban astronomy delight, either. Cities around the world have their own solar skyline alignments. Here are a few of the best��urban henges in North America.

Why Urban Henges Happen

So, what is a henge, anyway? The word “henge” traditionally refers to a ring-shaped earthwork construction. Ancient peoples in the UK and elsewhere likely built these circular mounds and ditches for ceremonial purposes. Stonehenge is of particular interest to astronomers because the stones line up perfectly with the sun during the winter and summer solstices. Scholars believe Stonehenge may have been used as a calendar in the New Stone Age.

Urban sky-gazers take a contemporary spin on this Neolithic astronomy concept by pinpointing days when the sun seems to rise or set between a canyon of skyscrapers. This phenomenon is possible in cities with an east-west street grid, as the sun rises in the former and sets in the latter.

These cities experience the “henge” effect on the spring and fall equinoxes—the only days when the sun rises due east and sets due west. (The rest of the year, it tends to rise and set north or south of that east-west axis, since the earth spins on a tilted axis). Many cities are constructed with a slightly offset grid, so the exact henge timing varies by location. Manhattanhenge, for example, happens in May and July because Midtown’s streets were built roughly .

Ready to catch a henge near you? Here are 10 city henges on the horizon for 2025, including when and where to see each one.

Manhattanhenge

Manhattanhenge, a term first coined by astrophysicist , draws urban astronomers each May and July. You can witness the spectacle from several of Manhattan’s thoroughfares. If you’re watching from street-level, you’ll need an unobstructed line of sight from your viewpoint to the eastern or western horizon. The view will be more dramatic when the sun is framed by tall skyscrapers, so it’s best to watch from a location that offers horizon views through a long��tunnel of buildings.

Head to your observation spot at least 30 minutes before sunset. This will give you adequate time to find the perfect viewing location and watch the sun glide between the skyscrapers. As with any urban adventure, remember to keep an eye on traffic and only watch the spectacle from a safe, pedestrian-friendly spot like a park or sidewalk—not from the middle of the road.

Where: Midtown Manhattan

2025 Dates: Sunset on May 28–29, July 11–12

Best viewpoints: 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, and 57th streets

Baltimorehenge

See Baltimore’s take on the urban henge phenomenon a few weeks before the spring equinox, and then again in late September after the autumn equinox.

Where: Business District, Baltimore

2025 Dates: Sunset on Sept. 28–29

Best viewpoints: Lombard and Baltimore streets (West of Calvert streets)

Phillyhenge

Philadelphia’s henge—better known as Phillyhenge—hits around early April and early September, marking the coming of spring and the end of summer.

Where: Center City, Philadelphia

2025 Dates: Sunset on Sept. 4–6

Best viewpoints: Market and Chestnut streets, John F. Kennedy Boulevard

Chicagohenge

The Windy City enjoys its henge right around the spring and fall equinoxes. When scouting your viewpoint, make sure you’re west of Wabash Avenue, as the elevated L line stations will slightly obstruct it.

Where: The Loop, Chicago

2025 Dates: Sunset on Sept. 24-26

Best viewing locations: Adams, Monroe,�� Madison, Washington, Monroe Streets

Bostonhenge

Bostonhenge is best admired in Back Bay, typically in February and late October or early November. Viewing options can be limited due to the area’s abundance of trees, so it’s best to scout your location in advance.

Where: Back Bay, Boston

2025 Dates: Sunset on Nov. 2-3

Best viewing locations: Boylston Street from the Public Garden

Scrippshenge

While it’s not technically in a city, Scrippshenge is a buzzed-about sight among San Diego astronomers and photographers. Twice per year, the sun aligns with the beams of UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier. The perfectly framed sunset happens in early May and then again in August.

Where: Scripps Pier in La Jolla, San Diego

2025 Dates: Sunset on Aug. 9-10

Best viewing locations: La Jolla Shores beach, just beneath the pier

Edmontonhenge

With Edmonton’s precise east-west avenue arrangement, you can catch a solar alignment right around the spring and fall equinoxes. Try looking west from downtown’s Jasper Avenue for a .

Where: Downtown Edmonton, Canada

2025 Dates: Sunset on Sept. 23

Best viewing locations: Jasper Avenue

Californiahenge

Snag a hilltop perch for San Francisco’s henge—nicknamed Californiahenge—during sunrise for roughly two days each spring and fall.

Where: Nob Hill, San Francisco

2025 Dates: Sunrise on Sept. 4-5

Best viewing locations: California and Sacramento streets at Huntington Park

Montrealhenge

With Montreal’s offset grid, henge sightings occur within a few weeks of the summer and winter solstices. This year’s display is particularly exciting, as the tail end of it aligns with the city’s on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, one of the city’s oldest streets. The buildings on this street aren’t as towering as those in the heart of downtown, but visitors can still enjoy a more subtle—and colorful—glimpse of Montrealhenge from the free festival, which runs from June 5-15.

Where: Downtown Montreal, Canada

2025 Dates: Sunset from June 3-6

Best viewing locations: Boulevard Robert-Bourassa and Rue de Bleury in downtown, or Saint-Laurent Boulevard

Torontohenge

Toronto sees the solar henge effect with both sunrise and sunset, giving the city at least four ideal chances to view it. While the spectacle peaks during the dates below, say you can snag a great view for roughly a week ahead of time, too.

Where: Old Toronto, Canada

2025 Dates: Sunrise Aug. 22-23, Sunset Oct. 25-26

Best viewing locations: Richmond and Adelaide streets

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Of all the road trips I’ve plotted in my travel writing career, the best had this in common: they were scenic, they were unhurried, and they capped each day beneath the cosmos. The following astro-meets-adventure itineraries tick every box.

There’s no better way to celebrate the start of road trip season—as well as from April 21 to 28—than by taking a long, star-focused drive. Some of these itineraries might already be on your list, others may surprise you, and all can be completed in a long weekend. Here are the best stargazing road trips in North America.

Cook County Aurora Route

3+ nights | Northern Minnesota

Cook County is among the northernmost points in the continental U.S. That makes this Lake Superior region arguably the best place in the lower 48 to chase the aurora. Here’s a 140-mile out-and-back drive through northern Minnesota’s forested fringes.

• Lutsen: Start roughly 90 miles north of Duluth for a stint on the 300-mile Superior Hiking Trail by day. Trek by day, then unwind beneath the stars after dusk. Sprinkle in some wellness with a stay at , where each abode has a private sauna with forest-view windows.
• Grand Marais: Drive 20 minutes north along the lake to reach Grand Marais, a spirited arts community. See the stars in unmitigated splendor on a guided night-vision hike with , a first-of-its-kind outfitter located just outside of Grand Marais. To optimize your aurora odds, book an accommodation within walking distance of ideal lights-hunting perch Artist’s Point (like ).
• Gunflint Trail: Sip your last dregs of city life before heading an hour inland on the 57-mile Gunflint Trail. This traverse, thick with maples and birches, is famous for its numerous moose sightings. For remote stargazing, reserve digs like or pitch your tent at a local campground (typically open starting in May). If you have time, set aside another day to explore nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, another DarkSky Sanctuary

The Arizona Traverse

3+ nights | Arizona

Inky nightscapes abound in Arizona, where global light pollution authority DarkSky International has certified more than two dozen astronomical getaways. Catch the cosmos on this 340-mile road trip, which weaves northward through the Grand Canyon State’s space-watching��hotspots. Consider adding a few detours, like Petrified Forest National Park. Your adventure starts in Tucson, and can end in Flagstaff or Las Vegas—both major Southwest transit hubs.

• Tucson: Start your Arizona Traverse on the new , a mini road trip in itself that connects a dozen astronomy attractions in and around the city. Highlights include Kitt Peak National Observatory, home to one of the world’s largest radio telescopes, and Saguaro National Park, a DarkSky-certified escape where towering cacti pierce a sparkly night sky. Camping is available in six designated Saguaro Wilderness Area campgrounds. (Note: the sites are only accessible by foot.)
• Sedona: Head roughly three hours north of Tucson for stop number two, Sedona, another DarkSky-certified destination with star-view options galore. Admire the silvery pinpricks from Beaverhead Flat Scenic Overlook or the Aerie trailhead. Or, watch for stars and peculiar flying objects on a guided UFO tour. Reserve accommodations like to enjoy the dark-sky splendor from bed.
• Grand Canyon National Park: There’s nothing like sky-watching from the spellbinding Grand Canyon, whether it’s a ranger-guided astronomy session on the South Rim, or DIY stargazing on the remote North Rim, which is open from mid-May to mid-October. For the ultimate twilight treat, try the lottery for a sleep at Phantom Ranch, the only lodging on the Grand Canyon’s base.

Baja Coast to Coast

2+ nights | Baja Sur, Mexico

You could make a multi-month adventure out of zigzagging along Baja’s many natural and night-sky attractions. But for those who don’t have unlimited PTO, here’s a bite-sized, 100-mile trip from the Gulf of California to the Pacific coast. You could tackle this road trip in a quick weekend, but I recommend at least four nights to soak up the culture and daytime marvels.

• Loreto: Start your Baja Sur weekend in Loreto, a seaside town famous for its blue whales, national parks, beach clambakes, and—thanks to a recent community movement—stargazing. The local astronomy club Cielo Magic hosts for residents and tourists in town. There’s also a local sky-watching meetup every Friday near the main plaza. Or, take a roughly 30-minute drive out of town to admire the planets and stars in the foothills of the Sierra de la Giganta mountains. Stay at historic and centrally located Hotel Boutique Posada de las Flores Loreto, which has a rooftop for space-gazing above the main square.
• Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos: Crisscross the peninsula’s mountainous interior to reach this tiny coastal town—a magnet for whale watchers between January and March. But marine life isn’t the only reason to visit. You can also book twilight sand dune tours and picnics through local outfitters. Overnight at an before heading back to Loreto the next day.

Oregon Outback

3+ nights | Central-South Oregon

Few destinations top stargazers’ bucket lists like the Australian Outback, but most don’t know that the U.S. has its own version much closer to home: the Oregon Outback, a stretch of high desert in the state’s central and southern regions. The region’s half-dozen DarkSky destinations are all within a few hours’ driving distance. Consider spending an additional evening in Sisters, an artsy DarkSky-certified community just outside of Bend.

• Prineville Reservoir State Park: Begin an hour from Bend at Prineville Reservoir State Park, a stop with kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, and fishing, as well as year-round for all-hours star access. If you’re more of a glamper, book one of the park’s five deluxe log cabins to start your trip in style.
• Summer Lake: A three-hour drive south of Prineville Reservoir will drop you in the 2.5-million-acre Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary. Try the Summer Lake Wildlife Area for birdwatching in the marshes and camping beneath the cosmos. Or, upgrade your visit with a stay at the , a collection of campsites and cabins with onsite soaking pools.
• Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge: This remote, high-elevation refuge—just three hours southeast of Summer Lake—is the ultimate Pacific Northwest retreat for space lovers. Pitch a tent for free at to snooze beneath the stars, then spend your daytime hours searching for petroglyphs or hiking to see pronghorns, pikas, and bighorn sheep.

Nova Scotia to New Brunswick

3+ nights | Eastern Canada

Life in Atlantic Canada centers on the sea, but don’t sleep on this maritime region’s starry skies. Three Dark Sky Preserves lie within a picturesque, six-hour road trip across the region. You’ll start in Halifax and end in Moncton, though you can add stops like Prince Edward Island along the way.

• Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site: Kejimkujik’s thick pine forests, set two hours west of Halifax, brim with natural wonders and Mi’kmaw culture. Try hiking or biking through forests or along the coast, or take a to follow the footsteps of the area’s earliest humans. After sunset, snag a campsite (open mid-May to late October) and point your eyes skyward for a glimmering twilight fresco.
• Fundy National Park: A four-hour drive north will lead you to Fundy National Park, home to the highest tides in the world. Explore the expansive mud flats and craggy coasts in the afternoon, then watch for planets and stars by camping in the Dark Sky Preserve (sites and yurts available year-round).
• Kouchibouguac National Park: Conclude your journey with a 115-mile drive up to Kouchibouguac National Park, a mosaic of honey-hued dunes and sprawling wetlands. Spend daylight looking for river otters and seals, or mountain biking the park’s nearly 40-mile trail system. Camping, available from mid-May to late October, provides the best twilight view. You can also try a nearby cabin, , and visit the park at night.

Across the Appalachians

3+ nights | West Virginia to Virginia

Link up three DarkSky getaways just a short trip from D.C. This Virginia-West Virginia adventure totals roughly 150 miles point-to-point. Spend more time in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, a rock-climbing oasis, if your PTO allows.

• Watoga State Park: Drive four hours west of Washington, D.C., or 2.5 hours north of Roanoke, for a starry retreat with all sorts of aquatic adventures. Watoga State Park, a 10,000-acre getaway with swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking, is part of one of the east coast’s largest DarkSky-certified areas. Overnighting in one of the park’s (from $157), or pitching a tent at one of its three (from $50), puts you smack-dab in the stargazing action.
• Natural Bridge State Park: Cross state borders to reach Natural Bridge State Park, a two-hour drive east of Watoga. This DarkSky-certified spot is full of karst terrain and navigable caverns. The park will host events starting April 25. Alternatively, book a primitive campsite or at a nearby campground and do your own star-watching from there.
• James River State Park: Around 60 miles east of Natural Bridge State Park, this Virginia escape offers pristine twilight skies and plenty of overnight accommodations, from park-run to full-service campsites. Spend your non-astronomy hours hiking the scenic 3.5-mile Cabell Trail or angling for smallmouth bass or catfish.

Klondike Highway

3+ nights | Yukon Territory, Canada

This historic highway parallels the route miners traversed during the Klondike Gold Rush. It’s also one of the continent’s best night-sky drives. Fortunately, you can tag some of the best bits in a long weekend. Start in Whitehorse, drive six hours up to Dawson City, then head back the way you came.

• Whitehorse: The aurora often flickers above Whitehorse, the Yukon territory’s main city, between early fall and spring. Book a private telescope session at the Yukon Astronomical Society’s Observatory, or try ice fishing beneath the aurora. Come summer, enjoy another astronomical marvel: the midnight sun. Sleep just outside of town at forest-fringed , a quiet escape tucked amid evergreens.
• Carmacks: Just two hours north of Whitehorse, you’ll find the quiet riverside town of Carmacks. Local companies offer aurora tours from mid-August to mid-April. Hit the hay at a hotel in town, then stock up on road-trip snacks at the general store for the next leg of your drive.

Dawson City: After the 220-mile drive from Carmacks, your arrival in Dawson City will feel like striking gold. This National Historic Site overflows with Indigenous and gold-rush history. Explore downtown on foot, then admire the nightscapes from a yurt. If you’re here for the midnight sun, try summer camping up in mountainous Tombstone Territorial Park, a protected area on the Dempster Highway.

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The first eclipse of the year is almost upon us, and it’s well worth a few hours of skipped sleep. In the early morning hours of Friday, March 14, stargazers in North America can watch the moon slide into Earth’s shadow then turn a haunting tangerine hue.

This striking phenomenon, known as a blood moon, is the signature finale of a total lunar eclipse. It’s a spectacle stargazers haven’t witnessed since November 2022, and one the U.S. won’t see again until 2026. Even better: it’s easily visible to the naked eye—even through light pollution. I watched the November blood moon from my backyard in Cleveland, Ohio. Weather-permitting, I plan to do the same come March 14.

Here’s how you can catch the show, too, as well as great getaways to make your eclipse-watching even more spectacular.

What’s a Total Lunar Eclipse?

During a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow slowly unspools across the face of the full moon. The entire duration of the event spans several hours—in this case, six. The subtle beginning phase, when the moon travels into Earth’s outer shadow, hits just before midnight ET on March 13. A partial eclipse, when the moon appears to have a noticeable bite missing, begins around 1 A.M. ET on March 14. And the moon fully enters our shadow around 2:30 A.M. ET. This brings the real showstopper, the blood moon, which glows a vivid red for roughly an hour, before transitioning back to a partial eclipse, then our regularly scheduled lunar programming.

The bright orange tine is a lesson in light and color. When sunlight passes through our atmosphere, shorter wavelengths, such as blue light, disperse. Only colors with longer wavelengths like red and orange can seep through. This light reaches the moon and paints it red.

Unlike last year’s buzzed-about total solar eclipse, this month’s lunar marvel is easier to spot. Its totality lasts for roughly an hour compared to a fleeting few minutes. And according to, a total lunar eclipse can be seen from a specific destination roughly once every 2.5 years—but North Americans are extra lucky. The next visible total lunar eclipse occurs on March 3, 2026.

How to Watch This Year’s Total Lunar Eclipse

The moon will travel across the southern sky, toward the western horizon, throughout eclipse morning. That means you’ll want clear views to the southern sky. While you’re out there, watch for Mars and Jupiter. Both will hang above the western horizon in the lead-up to the blood moon.

Overcast skies can hinder your eclipse viewing, but don’t let a few clouds deter you. In my experience, an intermittent cloud cover can actually add to a blood moon’s spookiness.

The entire lunar event spans around six hours. If you can’t stay up all night, I recommend heading out around 1:30 A.M. ET to watch Earth’s shadow take its eye-popping chomp out of the moon. Totality begins at 2:30 A.M. ET, and lasts for another hour after that.

Best Accommodations to Watch the Total Lunar Eclipse

If skipping sleep on a school night sounds daunting, consider turning your eclipse chase into a long-weekend break. I’ve researched a host of U.S. accommodations to watch the blood moon, from a cozy cabin with a totality-view hot tub, a getaway with a private south-facing shoreline, or better yet, eclipse views from bed. All accommodations have eclipse availability as of publication.

Northeast

Mirror Lake Inn, Lake Placid, New York

Century-old , set across eight fir-dotted acres just beyond Lake Placid’s Main Street, offers one of the Adirondacks’ best eclipse lookouts. The property peers south over its namesake lake, with water-view rooms for catching the show in your pajamas, or a private waterfront to photograph the scarlet orb reflecting off the glassy water. By day, go skating at the Olympic Center or head over to Mt Van Hoevenberg to watch the IBSF Bobsled and Skeleton World Championship, which runs from March 6 to 16. And take advantage of Mirror Lake Inn’s onsite amenities, such as a salt-therapy room and sauna, too. Mirror Lake Inn has 124 units; all overlook the water—and therefore, the eclipse. From $349 per night

Skyline Serenity Cabin, Pine Creek Township, Pennsylvania

Admire the blood moon from a scenic hot tub at in Pennsylvania’s Pine Creek Township. The cabin, set among the rolling Allegheny mountains, is roughly 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. In addition to a hot tub, guests can sky-watch from the private patio or fire pit. The oversized windows make it possible to eclipse watch from the couch. Give your legs a daytime shakeout along the property’s forested walking trails, or amp up the hiking at nearby nature getaways like Cook Forest and Parker Dam state parks. Both are within an hour’s drive of the cabin. From $170 per night

Midwest

Keweenaw Mountain Lodge

, a rustic resort on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, takes its stargazing seriously. In 2022, light pollution authority DarkSky International turned the woodlands surrounding the lodge into the U.P.’s first certified dark-sky park. Come for totality, then continue the lunar fun with a guided the night of March 14. The lodge’s 24 cabins remain open year-round, snow or sun. And keep your eyes peeled for the northern lights; it’s one of the best places in the lower 48 states to catch the aurora. In fact, I’ve caught swirls on the Keweenaw at least half a dozen times. From $250/ night with two-night minimum stay

Lookout Loft Treehouse, Valley Springs, South Dakota

Get a bird’s-eye view of the blood moon at the , a hilltop abode located just outside South Dakota’s Sioux Falls. From the roost, complete with a wraparound porch, you’ll enjoy unobstructed sky-watching from every angle, and its amenities only up the ante. There’s a hot tub and firepit-kitted patio, as well as windows to sky-watch from your plush bed. The treehouse rises 33 steps off the ground—the perfect cool-down after a day spent hiking through red quartzite canyons at nearby Park. From $150 per night.

Southeast

Starlight Haven at Weiss Lake, Alabama

Watch totality from a south-facing shoreline at , one of Alabama’s best astrotourism retreats. The getaway lies on Weiss Lake, with 1,500 feet of quiet waterfront and a communal fire pit area to mix and mingle while awaiting the lunar awe. Snag an A-frame cabin for two people with a private deck and hot tub with southern vistas over Weiss Lake (from $140), or a deluxe dome for up to four people with blood moon views galore (from $175). While you’re here, visit one of the country’s deepest canyons, , located 20 miles north.

Stargazer Cassiopeia, Terlingua, Texas

was tailor-made for night-sky enthusiasts, with space-view skylights that make sleep near impossible. Its location, just outside Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, is known for pristine nightscapes. Start your night watching the stars swim above the Chisos, then stay up by the fire pit to watch the moon turn a haunting red. Build in time for a stop, or several, at Big Bend National Park. The park’s west entrance is only 10 miles east of the A-frame. From $167 per night

West

Autocamp Zion, Virgin, Utah

Set between the Virgin River and Zion’s soaring red rocks, provides quite the dramatic eclipse backdrop. Its Airstreams, cabins, and canvas tents are about 13 miles from Zion National Park’s main entrance. The property also takes advantage of its surrounding crag, with tours like full-day rock climbing, canyoneering, mountain biking, and a two-hour Zion stargazing tour complete with telescopes for peering into deep space. Zion National Park is also open all night, so consider hitting the Pa’rus Trail near the visitor center to watch the eclipse radiate above the the Watchman peak. From $211 per night

on

Camp V, Naturita, Colorado

welcomes campers and glampers to a remote and scrub-dotted corner of western Colorado. The 120-acre escape, located near the town of Naturita, comes with all sorts of lunar eclipse vantage points. Try the mountain-view water towers, an onsite lake with nearby camping, or a field with larger-than-life public art. For an extra splurge, book a Camp V like “stargazing and snuggles” with cookies, blankets, cider, and a fire ($75). The site’s cabins, safari tents, and Airstreams are the perfect launchpad for the area’s adventure playground, with outings like canyon hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking nearby. From $165 per night for a cabin

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Last year was a dream for astronomy enthusiasts like me, with brilliant low-latitude auroras, a total solar eclipse, and a bright comet that was easily visible to the naked eye. The good news is I’m just as excited for stargazing in 2025.

North America will enjoy an exceptional cadence of astronomical sights every season, starting with a buzzed-about planet parade on show now through late February, with a total lunar eclipse to follow in mid-March.

This is also a great year to be an aurora chaser. Now that the sun has entered solar maximum, we’ll enjoy heightened northern- and southern-lights activity. This phenomenon occurs roughly once every 11 years, and it could continue until at least this fall, and potentially into 2026. So now is the time to plan a trip to see the auroras; here are the destinations I recommend to do just that.

As an astrophotographer, I travel the world seeking dark skies free from light pollution, but I also love watching interstellar magic from my backyard in Cleveland, Ohio. This year, backyard astronomers across the U.S. can enjoy all kinds of night-sky events, most visible even through city lights.

Here are the astronomical sights and events I’m most excited about in 2025, with tips on where, when, and how to make the most of them.

February

Prime Milky Way Season Begins

Under dark skies, you can technically see the Milky Way all year long, but not all sightings are equally astounding. This month the view improves as the dynamic and photogenic galactic center of our spiral galaxy, known as the Milky Way core, reappears in the southeast at night.

Here’s why: Earth is located on a spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy, roughly two-thirds from its center. Between November and late January, Earth’s orbit puts the sun between us and the Milky Way core. So instead of seeing its center, which is always found within the Sagittarius constellation, we only spot thin wisps of the galaxy’s outer fringes. It’s still a beautiful band of stars, but not the same. See below:

Come February, we’ve transited far enough around the sun to once again start seeing that luminous core, which consists of dense gas, stars, and dust. You can admire it a few hours before dawn this month; the farther south you are, the earlier it rises. The sight will only improve as the year goes on. Summer, when the galactic center is visible most of the night, is my favorite time to photograph it.

Tips and Tricks: Location is critical. You’ll need a dark sky and dim moon to fully appreciate the galactic center, which is apparent to the naked eye and especially dazzling in photographs. Give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the dark to see it best. And don’t travel too far north; the galactic center is only visible below 55 degrees latitude—roughly Edmonton, Canada. Dark-sky destinations farther south, like those in New Mexico, Texas, or Arizona, provide the best views in the contiguous U.S.

Extra! Extra!: Start your pre-dawn core-watching with some evening awe. Just after sunset in late February, stargazers can admire a planet parade, with all seven of our neighboring planetary bodies. Here’s how to watch this rare alignment.

March 13-14

Total Lunar Eclipse

If there’s one stargazing sight you absolutely should not miss this year, it’s the total lunar eclipse above North America. Overnight from March 13 to 14, Earth will slide between the sun and full moon, casting a shadow that dims the latter. The indirect sunlight will turn the moon a haunting tangerine hue, which is why it’s known as a blood moon.

Tips and Tricks: The entire event will occur over six hours, starting just before midnight Eastern Time on Thursday, March 13. But the full eclipse—when Earth’s shadow covers the entirety of the moon—will run from around 2:30 to 3:30 A.M. Eastern Time on Friday, March 14. (Exact timing depends on your viewing location; download a stargazing app to determine your local watch time.)

Lunar eclipses are not only visible to the naked eye; they’re observable from light-polluted cities. I watched last year’s partial lunar eclipse from my front porch in Cleveland and used to zoom in on the action.

Extra! Extra!: The moon may get all the attention this month, but keep an eye out for auroras, too. The northern lights are said to be especially powerful around the equinoxes, due to our planet’s tilt, and this year’s spring equinox happens on March 20. Here’s my step-by-step guide to catching auroras in the lower 48 states.

June 21–28

Grand Canyon Star Party

While you can spot many sights on this list from home, there’s nothing like admiring the cosmos with an expert. That’s why the —the National Park Service’s largest night-sky gathering—is on this list. The annual summer event, set in the DarkSky-certified Grand Canyon National Park, draws hundreds of astronomy enthusiasts and thousands of visitors for a week of laser-guided stargazing, astrophotography workshops, and telescope sessions to check out everything from Jupiter’s great red spot to star clusters and nebulae. Volunteers set up around 50 telescopes each night.

This year’s free festival will be spread across two locations: on the South Rim outside the visitor center, run in partnership with the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, and on the North Rim at the Grand Canyon Lodge’s porch, with the Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix.

Tips and Tricks: The full festival schedule will be released in March—check the for the latest news—but it’s a good idea to book your stay at the Grand Canyon now, due to the event’s popularity, combined with the fact it’s held in the high season. And if you’re after a real red-rock treat—stargazing from the floor of the Grand Canyon—don’t miss my guide to snagging a reservation at the iconic Phantom Ranch.

Extra! Extra!: While the Grand Canyon hosts the Park Service’s largest night-sky bonanza, many other national parks also put on star parties throughout the year. Those to consider include the , in Utah, which runs from June 25 to 28; the , in Nevada, from September 18 to 20; and Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s , in North Dakota, from September 19 to 21.

August 12–13

Perseid Meteor Shower

The most popular and prolific meteor shower of the year, the Perseids, will peak the night of August 12, with some potential for interstellar fireworks early on the mornings of August 11 and 12, too. This powerful shower can produce up to 100 soaring meteors per hour at its peak, but sadly 2025 isn’t the best year for it—that night in particular, the moon is quite full (85 percent), so it’ll wash out all but the brightest of them. That said, don’t skip this year’s Perseids, but do optimize your viewing.

Tips and Tricks: Head to a DarkSky-certified park, or better yet, book a night at a stargazing retreat and plan to stay up late. The best viewing typically happens after midnight and into the wee hours of the morning. That’s when the meteor shower’s point of origin, located in the Perseus constellation, is at its highest point in the sky. Plus, the Perseids are known to generate bright and colorful fireballs, often vivid enough to shine through moonlight and light pollution.

Extra! Extra!: There’s plenty to admire while you await those shooting stars. Approximately three hours before sunrise on both August 12 and 13, bright Venus and Jupiter will appear close together above the eastern horizon, not far below Perseus. The moon and Saturn will also travel near each other the nights of August 11 and 12, rising in the east roughly two hours after sunset.

August 19–20

Fall Planet Parade

We’ll have a pause in planet parades after February 2025’s seven-planet gathering, but the fun returns mid-August—and I’ll have my camera ready for this one, because it promises to be quite photogenic. In the pre-dawn hours of both August 19 and 20, roughly an hour before sunrise, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter will appear in a diagonal line above the east horizon, with the waning crescent moon just to their left.

This autumn planet parade will be particularly spectacular because elusive Mercury, often obscured due to its proximity to the sun, will be visible. (It’s at its farthest distance from the sun from August 19 to 20.) That means we’ll have almost an hour of solid planet-parade watching before dawn.

Tips and Tricks: Continue to follow the diagonal line up the sky, above the northeast horizon, to see Uranus near the Pleiades star cluster. While Uranus typically requires a telescope for viewing, you can spot around six of the Pleiades stars unaided as well. Saturn is also easily visible atop the southwest horizon. Neptune is beside the ringed planet, too, but you’ll need a telescope to spot it.

October 6

A Supermoon Trio Starts

In October, supermoon season will finally be upon us, and it kicks off a string of three consecutive, brighter than average full moons to close out the year. The first supermoon is the�� October 6 Hunter’s Moon, which will appear larger and more vivid than normal.

The full Beaver Moon on November 5 will be the largest of the year, and the Cold Moon on December 4 will be the last full supermoon until December 2026.

A full supermoon doesn’t differ all that much from your average full moon; it appears about 7 percent bigger and 15 percent more luminous, according to . The phenomenon occurs when the moon reaches its closest point to Earth during its full-moon stage.

Tips and Tricks: I like to photograph supermoons in the evening hours when they rise above the horizon just before sunset. That’s when something NASA calls the “” makes it�� appear larger on the horizon than it is when it’s higher in the sky. For photographers, objects on the horizon (like skyscrapers, animals, or trees) can also add scale to make the moon look exceptionally dramatic. Another great reason to watch a supermoon above the eastern horizon just before dusk: it turns a gold hue.

Extra! Extra!: Adding to the awe is Saturn, which rises just to the right of the moon on October 6. The November and December supermoons will rise above the northeast horizon before sunset, too.

October 9

The Moon Covers Pleiades

Here’s another marvel that even city dwellers can enjoy. On this night, the nearly full moon will cross in front of the Pleiades star cluster—one of the brightest objects we can see outside of our solar system, with around six stars visible to the naked eye.

Watching a bright moon slide in front of any distinguishable space sight is thrilling—and many U.S. stargazers learned this firsthand with last month’s . The U.S. won’t see the moon cover another planet until 2026, but this lunar occultation of Pleiades, a deep-space object known for its cobalt-blue stars, will put on quite the show, and you need not travel far to see it.

The Pleiades cluster boasts over 1,000 stars, and you can spot the brightest of them even amid light pollution. So get out and enjoy this event from right outside your door—no gear required. In fact, the Pleiades star cluster is one of my favorite sights when stargazing at home in Cleveland.

Tips and Tricks: During this event, the moon will begin to travel in front of the Pleiades stars around 11 P.M. Eastern Time, concealing several of the blueish flecks as the night goes on. The stars will reappear as the moon reaches the other side roughly three hours later. (Use a stargazing app to determine exact timing.)

You can catch the show in the northeast sky; those on the West Coast will need clear views to the horizon since it will happen soon after the moon rises.

November 7–9

Aurora Summit

The boom in northern lights will continue through much of 2025, and you can hone your auroral hunting, and learn more about those dreamy sky swirls, at the annual Aurora Summit, this year in Red Cliff, Wisconsin. Now in its eighth year, the festival brings together night-sky enthusiasts for a weekend of seminars, photography workshops and forecasting tutorials by day, and, of course, guided aurora chasing by night.

This gathering takes place in my favorite region in the contiguous U.S. for aurora hunting—the Great Lakes—with the picturesque backdrop of Lake Superior and the scenic Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. While star parties abound in the U.S., this is one of the nation’s only festivals dedicated entirely to the northern lights.

Tips and Tricks: Bookings open on the in June. Consider the pre-event’s astrophotography boot camp if you want to elevate your night-sky photgraphy skills.

December 13–14

Geminid Meteor Shower

If there’s one meteor shower you should witness in 2025, it’s the Geminids. Under pristine skies free of light pollution, this year-end spectacle can produce upward of 150 meteors per hour when it peaks overnight between December 13 and 14. The best viewing starts after 10 P.M. and continues through the night. The waning crescent moon won’t rise until 2 A.M. local time, so you’ll have several hours of prime meteor-shower watching sans moonlight.

Tips and Tricks: Stargazing from a DarkSky-certified destination will improve your viewing. And I recommend using a light-pollution map, like , to locate a nearby stargazing perch that’s spared from city lights. Look for a spot with clear views to the eastern sky, where the shower’s origin point, located near the Castor star in the Gemini constellation, rises. Bright Jupiter, located right within Gemini the night of December 13, can aid your viewing.

I’m a big fan of the Geminids, not just for the abundance of meteors but their striking beauty. These interstellar fireworks are vivid and speedy, and can come in all sorts of colors—notably white, yellow, and green—due to the remnants of metal. In December 2023, I even watched a bright-red Geminid streak through the sky above my house, creating a trail of shimmery scarlet as it traveled.

5 Ways to Enhance Your Stargazing Experiences

1. Download a Stargazing App

A night-sky app like ($20 for the Pro subscription, which I use) or (free) can do wonders for your stargazing. These apps use live night-sky simulations to help you navigate the heavens and locate both obvious space objects, like planets, as well as more obscure stars, galaxies, or star clusters.

2. Use Red Lights

It can take our eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark after exposure to bright white lights. Red lights, on the other hand, are much less disruptive. Use a —or cover your white light in red cellophane—to preserve your night vision in the field. I also use to turn my iPhone light red so I can still use it when needed.

3. Learn to Photograph with Your Smartphone

The cameras built into today’s smartphones are astounding, especially for astrophotography. If you’re interested in snapping pics of the night sky but don’t want to invest thousands of dollars in an astrophotography kit, learn to use your smartphone to take night photos. I wrote this guide to photographing the northern lights with your smartphone, and you can use many of the lessons in that piece to shoot the stars with your phone as well.

4. Visit Your Stargazing Perch by Day

If you’re stargazing in a new destination, stop by the site in the daytime so you’re familiar with the parking situation, any safety hazards, and the best place for sky-viewing. When hiking at night, remember to stick to the trail and follow Leave No Trace principles—pack out all that you bring in, let wildlife be, and don’t veer off the established route.

5. Stargaze with a Buddy—or Better Yet, a Guide

While I’ve spent many a night stargazing solo, I’m more at ease when I’m with a friend—and even more so with a local guide, especially if I’m in a new locale. If you’re heading out alone at night, tell someone where you’re going, and pack extra safety items, like a portable charger for your phone, a headlamp with spare batteries, and a satellite communicator for emergencies.

Stephanie Vermillion is ���ܳٲ������’s astrotourism columnist and author of National Geographic’s , which was published in December 2024. She’s planning her 2025 travels around many attractions on this list, from chasing the auroras in Yukon and Norway to photographing the Milky Way core in the Southwest. You can follow her adventures on .

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It’s a great year for planet-watching. In addition to this week’s stellar views of Mars, stargazers can admire multiple “planet parades”—the simultaneous appearance of several planets in the night sky—in 2025. Arguably the best parade of the year commences on January 18, with Venus and Saturn appearing within 2.2 degrees, or roughly two pinky-widths, of each other. The parade will continue into mid-February, with two additional planet gatherings to follow later in 2025.

Planet parades “aren’t super rare,” according to , “but they don’t happen every year” either.

Here’s how to make the most of 2025’s celestial shows.

How to View a Planet Parade

First, let’s talk planet-watching basics. You can generally see Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury with the naked eye. Uranus is sometimes naked-eye visible, but only under the darkest skies. Neptune is too small and dim for us to see unaided. A telescope can significantly enhance your view; if you don’t have one, check out the public stargazing nights at your .

I use the stargazing app ($12.99 for the “plus” version) to navigate the night sky. And another astro hack: You can tell the difference between a planet and a star because the former glows steadily while the latter flickers. Some planets, like Mars, even have a noticeably pale-orange tinge.

The great thing about viewing planets is you don’t have to travel far. Unlike fainter interstellar sights such as the northern lights, the brightest planets are visible even in light-polluted cities. That means you could catch this year’s planet parades by stargazing from your own backyard.

Here are dates of the year’s major planet parades, with tips on where and when to look, plus recommendations for a handful of national parks with surreal cosmic views.

The Best Times to See the Planet Parade��

Technically, this month’s planet parade is already on show. Six planets—Venus, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars—have been visible up in the sky throughout January. The parade will continue into mid-February. That said, peak observing begins this weekend, as Venus and Saturn will appear exceptionally close in the southwest sky soon after sunset on January 18, according to .

On January 21, Jupiter and Venus will become even more radiant as they climb high in the evening sky with the moon staying below the horizon until after midnight. The lack of lunar light will make it easier to spot the planets and see more stars.

Another highlight of the year’s first planet parade: after sunset on February 1, Venus and the crescent moon will appear close together in the southwest sky for several hours before plummeting beneath the western horizon.

This month’s spectacle will be visible each night, weather permitting, from mid-January to mid-February between sunset and 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time. You can use a stargazing app to determine exact timing for your location.

More 2025 Planet Parades to Watch for

Late February

January’s interstellar gathering will be the easiest to watch—and therefore the one not to miss this year—but a late-February parade, which will be best viewed around February 28, introduces a new twist. Mercury will join the party, creating a rare gathering of all seven of our neighboring planets in the sky at once.

But the late-February viewing will be much trickier than this week. At the end of February, all planets technically will be up at the same time at dusk, but Saturn will set soon after the sun does. It will also largely get washed out by the sun’s glow, which illuminates the western horizon for up to 90 minutes after sunset. Given its close distance to the sun, Neptune, which will hang near Saturn, will also be close to impossible to spot, even through a telescope.

To see this late-February planet parade, watch the western horizon right after sunset on February 28. That’s when Mercury is most visible, with the luminous planet Venus above it. Jupiter, Mars, and Uranus will be high in the south-southeast sky that night, too.

Mid-August

After February, we’ll have a lull in major planet gatherings until mid-August, when Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, and Mercury will simultaneously parade in the pre-dawn sky. Mercury will reach its farthest distance from the sun—the period when it’s most visible—from August 19 to 20. Look for it in the pre-dawn sky on August 20.

Mercury will rise over the east horizon, with Venus, Jupiter, and the crescent moon nearly aligned over it. Saturn and Neptune will also be close together, above the western horizon, with Uranus overhead.

Best Places to View the 2025 Planet Parades

Video of skywatching in Loreto, Mexico, on January 12 by Stephanie Vermillion. This timelapse has views of Venus, which is very bright and distinguishable, and Saturn just above it and harder to distinguish from stars. The video was taken the day before the full moon, so its bright glow is washing out most stars.��

The planets will be spread across the sky for most of 2025’s planet parades, meaning they will not be in a straight line, but appear from east to west. For best viewing, seek a wide-open vista with minimal obstructions to the horizon; a hilltop or large field would work well. Again, since the brightest planets can be seen even in cities, you don’t have to travel to see them.

If you want to take your observation to the next level, however, these five national parks offer stargazing events and wide-open viewing areas for enjoying the show. See more locations and tips on what to bring here.

SOUTH: Everglades National Park

Spot the planets from the highest viewing deck in Florida’s Everglades National Park. The park’s 70-foot Shark Valley Observation Tower overlooks up to 20 miles of the Everglades, with open 360-degree vistas. The tower stays open 24 hours a day.

The safest way to visit this gator-country attraction at night is via the park’s free ranger-led , which runs January 13, 19, 21, and February 4, 5, 18, 19, 26, and 27.

SOUTHWEST: Canyonlands National Park

Grand View Point in Canyonlands National Park made our list of best scenic viewpoints for a reason. This perch looks out upon a sweeping panorama of water-carved sandstone, and, as a Dark Sky-certified park, Canyonlands remains open 24 hours a day. The lookout lies at the southern end of Island in the Sky drive, just off the road on a paved path, with a second perch a one-mile trail away. Be careful in the winter; it can get icy. from $30 per private vehicle

WEST: Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is one of the best places in the country for stargazing and planet-watching, with lookouts open 24 hours like the panoramic promising sparkly nightscapes above. Add to your astronomical awe by attending one of several night-sky events: a free on January 18 or 25, a with telescopes on January 24, or the park’s from February 21 to 23. from $15

EAST: New River Gorge National Park

In the eastern U.S., try the New River Gorge, which is also open around the clock. The recommends a handful of stargazing spots, including the New River Gorge Bridge Overlook at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, or take the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk, among other options. The main overlook at the Grandview Visitor Center is especially promising in winter, with minimal overhead foliage and expansive vistas. The park is free to enter.

MIDWEST: Theodore Roosevelt National Park

in North Dakota has all the conditions for picturesque planet-gazing: wide-open views, awestriking scenery, and minimal light pollution. The park, again open throughout the night, includes several starry-sky viewpoints. Try Riverbend Overlook to watch the constellations and planets float above the Missouri River, or hit up Painted Canyon Visitor Center to marvel at the shimmery nightscapes above the badlands. While you’re here, keep an eye to the north—when conditions align, this is a great national park to spot the northern lights.

Stephanie Vermillion is �����ԹϺ���’s astrotourism columnist. Recent articles for �����ԹϺ��� include this account of her three top nighttime adventures, an excerpt from her new book, 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate �����ԹϺ���s After Dark; the scoop on where to find the darkest skies in North America for aurora hunting and stargazing; and nine places to see the most dazzling northern lights in decades. She is based in Cleveland.

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