Star Gazing : Popular Destinations

How would it feel like to just lie down on the ground and gaze at the stars on a clear starry night? If you want to really impress your loved one on this holiday, take him/her to a beautiful location that would enable you to catch upfront glimpses of wonderful stars and constellations.

Here are some of the best star gazing destinations around the world. In addition to being located in places of high altitude, these destinations offer spectacular gazing points and other complementary features.

Hawaii: Though the islands may be quite crowded the year around, the location of the islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean enables them to remain either pollution free or with very little pollution, especially near the mainland.

There are several star gazing spots in and around Hawaii. The Keck Observatory is located at a height of 9000 feet from sea level, atop the volcanic mountain of Manua Kea on the Big Island. The observatory houses one of the largest optical telescopes in the world.

It is also touted that Hawaii will be the official site of the futuristic Thirty Meter Telescope which will be completed in 2018. The Onizuka Visitors Center organizes regular nightly star gazing programs that are free to take part in.

Chile: Welcome to the country of deserts, barren lands and mountain ranges. Offering some of the best star gazing areas in the entire world, Chile is almost free of pollution. The Atacama Desert in Chile is a high altitude desert which, though hard to get to, can offer some of the best views amidst strikingly clear skies.

If trekking to the desert may seem tiring, you can opt for a star gazing session at the Observatorio Cerro Mamalluca which operates on week days and offers tours to the public. Alternatively, you can also book a room at the fames Elqui Domos Hotel where you will stay inside a huge domed structure with a first floor bedroom. The roof of the dome can be retracted to provide wonderful views of the night sky and you can lie down on the bed, watching the stars shine down on the earth.

Australia: Situated in the Pacific Ocean, the continent of Australia enjoys a prime location near the clear skies of the Southern Hemisphere. Some of the stars and constellations visible in this region cannot be seen in places further up north. One such constellation is the Southern Cross.

The best star gazing areas in the country include the Sydney Observatory near Sydney Harbor, a 100 acre site three hours away from Sydney, which is the venue of the annual South Pacific Star Party (organized by the Astronomical Society of New South Wales), and Ayers Rock (also called Uluru) which hosts the Sounds of Silence program.

Scotland: If you are in Europe and need to know about star gazing destinations in the region, head to Scotland. Boasting of having some of the darkest and clearest skies in Europe, various star gazing sites in Scotland provide views of even the Northern lights which can otherwise be seen only near the Arctic Circle.

South Africa: South Africa has three things that attract star gazers from around the world. Less populated areas, clear night skies and little or no pollution. Moving down South, parts of South Africa and Namibia offer wonderful star gazing locations.

In addition to this, there are several star gazing programs organized by various groups and services. These include tours of facilities in Sutherland and Cape Town which are undertaken by the South African Astronomical Observatory, astronomy programs for visitors to the Kruger National Park and observatory tours at the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in Namibia.

New Zealand: if you happen to be in New Zealand, there are a couple of very good observatories and star gazing locations you could consider visisting. Like Australia, New Zealand is located closer to the Southern Hemisphere and offers wonderful views of southern stars and constellations.

Some of the more famous observatories in the country include the 360 degree dome theater called Auckland Stardome and Mount John Observatory in the Lake Tekapo County (South Island).

United States of America: There are several fantastic star gazing destinations in South Western United States. These areas offer clear skies, minimal pollution and onsite observatories to service visitors.

Some of the more prominent observatories in and around the region include the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tuscon (houses the largest collection of optical telescopes in the world), Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, McDonald Observatory in Texas, Lowell Observatory in Arizona, International Dark Sky Park in Utah and New Mexico Skies in New Mexico (atop the Sacramento Mountain Range).

In addition to the observatories, the other fairly popular star gazing sites in the region include the Death Valley in California, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the Joshua Tree in Yosemite and the Chaco Culture in New Mexico.

Now that you have got an extensive list of some of the best star gazing locations in the entire world, you will definitely know where to go when you hear a meteor shower report. Take your loved ones with you and enjoy the starry experience.