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Total Solar Eclipse

April 2024 PROJECT MEXICO / USA TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

August 2027 project egypt / north africa ​ total solar eclipse, october 2024 project  chile annular solar eclipse, july 2028 project australia ​ total solar eclipse, august 2026 project greenland / spain total solar eclipse, november 2030 project africa / australia ​ total solar eclipse.

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Just went on 10 day bus tour with Astro Travel and Tours buses through CalCo Travel our of Calhoun County. I'm unsure if the two are affiliated because I saw CalCo folks wearing Astro shirts. But Incase they are not affiliated, I will just stick to the buses. The driver told us that our bus was new however it was quite dirty. I got sticky candy all over my shoes within ten minutes of being in the bus. There was a used bandaid laying on a shelf in the bathroom. After a couple of hours, my seat suddenly let loose and turned around backwards. The bus driver looked at it and told me a nut was missing and that he couldn't fix it. I reminded him daily that it needed to be fixed and he laughed it off. Finally on the seventh day, after we had had two full free days, I asked him if he had used that time to find the nut to fix it. He said no and I blew up at him. Miraculously, the next morning, my seat was fixed and the driver acted like he deserved a medal. I thanked him but I'm thinking to myself, I put up with this for seven days and only after I resort to making an ass out of myself do you fix it -- you could have done this the first day! Never will I use Astro or CalCo again!

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Rude drivers who are unable to follow basic instructions. Organised a stop on our tour and a departure time to keep driving - 10 minutes after scheduled departure drivers are still not back left everyone waiting and laughed when asked why.

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Perseid meteor shower over the Saskatchewan Summer Star Party, with an aurora as a bonus

2024 will be huge for astrotourism—here’s how to plan your trip

One report estimates one to four million people will travel to see this year’s solar eclipse—but it's not the only cosmic event happening this year.

Constellations and comets. Solar eclipses and the aurora borealis. The cosmos are alive with wonders. Eclipses were mentioned in Assyrian cuneiform tablets as early as 763 B.C. and Han Dynasty documents since 90 B.C. Similarly, the aurora borealis was observed by Assyrian astronomers around 679-655 B.C. and documented by Aristotle between 384 and 322 B.C.

While solar eclipses and the northern lights get the most attention, comets, meteor showers, and other spectacular night sky events happen all year round. Traveling to destinations specifically to stargaze is called astrotourism, and it’s been gaining momentum over the past decade. The 2017 solar eclipse further increased interest, with more than 216 million people attempting to see it , making it one of the largest recorded audiences for any scientific, athletic, or entertainment event.   Plus, the growth of dark sky parks and reserves (designated areas with minimal light pollution) has made it easier for people to engage with the cosmos.

Here’s why 2024 will be huge for astrotourism and where and when you should look up.

The year for astrotourism  

2024 could bring the best auroras in 20 years , including in regions that don’t typically see the northern lights, such as Arizona , Arkansas , and Virginia . Alex Filippenko , an astrophysicist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, says the strength of this year’s northern and southern lights is because the sun is nearing a maximum in its roughly 11-year solar activity cycle, expected to peak in 2025. He adds that the total solar eclipse that will take place on April 8 will also be visible in many parts of the U.S., and it will be the last one to occur here until 2044.

In April, the enormous 12P/Pons-Brooks comet will streak toward the inner solar system, becoming so bright that it may be visible to the unaided eye. Nearly three times the size of Mount Everest, the comet will align with the eclipsed sun on April 8 and swing by Jupiter on April 12 before reaching peak brightness on its way to the sun on April 21.

( This Swedish overnight train takes you straight to the northern lights .)

Come August, the annual Perseid meteor shower returns, scattering a flurry of up to 60 shooting stars per hour. On September 17,   Saturn will converge with the moon and do so again on October 14 and 15, November 11, and December 8. This spectacle will be visible to unaided eyes shortly after sunset, though binoculars could make the silvery lunar glow and giant yellow planet appear even more impressive.

Greek ruins on a hill, at sunrise, with a gigantic, full moon close to the horizon

Planning your own astro adventure

According to a report by the Great American Eclipse , an estimated one to four million people will travel to see this year’s solar eclipse. In response, travel companies are rocketing into astrotourism.

In 2021, Black Tomato launched a series of bespoke eclipse experiences, including adventures to Argentina and Patagonia and luxury private yacht trips in Antarctica . Wilderness Travel , a California -based adventure company, has offered expert-led eclipse trips for 20 years.

Texas-based Jean Ann LeGrand, who has seen eclipses on several Wilderness Travel trips, says, “the moment is ethereal—the personal excitement, the solar drama, the atmospheric changes; it’s as if you are being drawn in and cloaked in an experience of being made one with the sun.”  

Some of the best cities to view the eclipse in the U.S. are Austin and Dallas , Texas; Cleveland , Ohio; and Rochester and Niagara Falls , New York. Indianapolis has planned events at the Indianapolis Speedway, Children’s Museum, and zoo, where animals are expected to react to the sudden loss of light.

( The best places to see the 2024 total solar eclipse .)

August’s Perseid meteor shower is best seen in the Northern Hemisphere. For prime views, head somewhere dark, clear, and far from light pollution and threats of wildfires . Popular places for stargazing and meteor watching are Colorado and California, but to avoid the crowds (and potentially ash-filled skies), consider lesser visited dark skies in Nebraska or South Carolina .

Auroras are much harder to plan for in advance says Filippenko, but nights around the new moon are better than bright full-moon nights. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also offers a map that helps you determine whether or not the lights will be visible from your area.

Top spots to see the aurora borealis in Europe include Finland , Scotland , Iceland , and Norway , because they experience many hours of darkness. The southern lights illuminate the skies over the southern tip portions of Tasmania, Australia and New Zealand . But some of the darkest skies won’t be spotted from land. Rather, they’ll be found far from light pollution, in the middle of the ocean. Consider a cruise that passes through northern regions like Greenland and the Canadian Arctic .

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  • AMATEUR ASTRONOMY
  • SOLAR ECLIPSES
  • DARK-SKY PRESERVES
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Is your next getaway written in the stars? Check out these celestial sites

Elephant's Perch near Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho is a scenic place to camp and see the stars.

For stargazers, the darkest skies provide the best entertainment. Planets, innumerable twinkling stars and bright meteors are good reasons to look up. But witnessing cosmic wonders has become sacred due to so many U.S. skies adversely affected by light pollution, making dark, clear evenings a challenge. So greater numbers of galaxy geeks are gravitating toward destinations where constellations are the brightest.

“Like seeing endangered animals, people want to see the rare night sky,” says Alan Dyer, an astronomy writer and photographer and producer of planetarium programs for the TELUS Spark Science Centre in Calgary, Alberta, in Canada. “Astrotourism is a growing part of the travel industry because people want to check amazing sights off their bucket list, like seeing the Northern Lights, a solar eclipse or the Milky Way. They’re on par with the scenic wonders on Earth.”

A good place to start when planning a stargazing trip is to consult the International Dark-Sky Association’s website for a listing of certified dark areas, including national parks. The International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) program is dedicated to preserving and protecting dark sites across the world. As of 2022, there are 195 certified IDSPs globally, with 60 in the U.S., including at least 17 national parks. Of course, visiting one of these areas on a clear night is important; so is the moon’s phase. A full moon creates its own version of light pollution, so try to time your trip a couple of days before, during and after a new moon to enhance your viewing odds.

While stars are guaranteed to be more visible in these certified dark sky places, even without a designation there are locations in the U.S. that put on brilliant night sky shows. Some of them are within driving distance of major U.S. destinations making them more accessible.

If astrotourism is on your agenda for 2022, this roundup of some the best starry escapes in the U.S., including locations with connections to the historic 1969 moon landing, will come in handy:

Learn more: Best travel insurance

National Parks

Located in the southwest corner of Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park features 600 ancient cliff dwellings and views of millions of nighttime stars and galaxies. In 2021, the park became the 100th certified International Dark Sky Park. Celestial sights can be seen from the park’s Morefield Campground and Far View Lodge, which also hosts ranger-led evening programs, including one on how Ancestral Pueblo people depended on nighttime skies for planting and harvesting of crops and tracking patterns of wildlife. Dark skies can also be admired from overlooks inside the park, including Geologic, Mancos Valley and the Montezuma Valley overlooks.

The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on Lake Powell, straddling Arizona and Utah, is home to one of the world’s largest natural bridges, the arch-shaped Rainbow Bridge National Monument. The monument is a designated International Dark Sky Sanctuary, the first of its kind in the National Park Service, for the quality of its naturally dark night skies and the site’s cultural heritage. Stargazing and exploring the night sky is allowed almost anywhere in the park. Stargazing programs conducted by park rangers are also offered in the summer.

Yosemite National Park , about 170 miles east of San Francisco, offers views of the constellations in some of the area's most popular stargazing spots, including Glacier Point, Sentinel Meadow, Olmstead Point, Washburn Point and Cook’s Meadow.

June through August amateur astronomers set up telescopes at Glacier Point on Saturdays. The park also has dedicated star programs such as Starry Night Skies Over Yosemite, a walking tour in Yosemite Valley to learn about the moon, the Milky Way galaxy, meteors, comets and more, and Glacier Point Starry Night Skies Over Yosemite, a bus tour to Glacier Point where visitors are treated to an astronomy program under the stars. Moonbow is a seasonal program to search for rainbowlike phenomenon that occur at night when the light from the moon refracts in water droplets from the park’s waterfalls.

Throughout the U.S.

In 2001, Flagstaff, Ariz., was recognized as the world’s first IDSP, and since then continues to impress visitors with its galaxy views. “Getting lost in the universe from Flagstaff’s clear dark window is a joy that doesn’t fade,” says Bonnie Stevens, executive director of the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition . Even before 2001, Flagstaff had impressive connections to space. Its lunar legacy includes serving as the training ground for Apollo astronauts such as Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin who walked on the moon in 1969. Scientists transformed the northern Arizona landscape into a re-creation of the moon by using explosives to create a simulated lunar surface in the cinder fields near Sunset Crater. Artists also worked with scientists at the Lowell Observatory , which was established in Flagstaff in 1894, to create detailed lunar maps by observing the moon through Lowell telescopes.

Pro tip: From Sept. 22-24, Flagstaff, Ariz., will host its annual star party at Buffalo Park to celebrate the night sky.

The Lowell Observatory has various tours throughout the year as well as the Giovale Open Deck Observatory, which is a collection of six advanced telescopes that allow visitors to see the stars up close. There’s also the Wupatki National Monument’s parking

lot north of Flagstaff off Highway 89, a popular viewing spot because it has almost no

light pollution or obstructions to block moon sightings, and Buffalo Park , situated on McMillan Mesa northeast of downtown Flagstaff, with 215 acres to see the planets with the San Francisco Peaks and Mount Elden in the background.

Fun fact: The Lowell Observatory in Arizona is where the planet Pluto was discovered in 1930.

For more stars in Arizona, check out Mesa’s astronomy dinner cruises on Canyon Lake with the Dolly Steamboat, as well as several stargazing spots in Tucson, including Spencer’s Observatory next to the Cat Mountain Lodge, offering private star-viewing sessions featuring the Celestron 14-inch SCT telescope; the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter , a

9,000-foot-tall formation located in Tucson’s Santa Catalina Mountains; the

for nightly stargazing programs and to learn about how the Apollo astronauts visited the observatory, before their moon landing, to view the moon through the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope; or visit the Sky Bar, a solar-powered café with complimentary telescopes on its patio.

Pro tip: The Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter has the Southwest’s largest public telescope that allows visitors to see the rings of Saturn and spiral galaxies.

Idaho is the location of the only International Dark Sky Reserve in the U.S. It spans more than 1,400 square miles from Ketchum/Sun Valley to Stanley, including lands in Blaine, Custer and Elmore counties and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. It is the third-largest of 12 such reserves worldwide.

Idaho is also home to Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve , about 20 miles southwest of Arco. The Apollo astronauts explored the area’s lava landscape and learned the basics of volcanic geology in preparation for trips to the moon.

Pro tip: Visit Idaho’s International Dark Sky Reserve in August to view the Perseid meteor showers.

Stargazing isn’t confined to Western states. The Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center at Palisades-Dows Preserve near Cedar Rapids has two permanent telescopes and several portable telescopes.

The John Glenn Astronomy Park outside of Columbus, Ohio, is located under the dark  skies of southeast Ohio’s Hocking Hills and offers guided stargazing programs on clear Friday and Saturday evenings March through November.

North Carolina

Cape Lookout National Seashore is a 56-mile strand of beaches that make up the coastal islands of eastern North Carolina, one of the world’s few remaining natural barrier island chains. In 2021, the site was certified as an International Dark Sky Park, the first Atlantic coastal dark sky place in the national park system to be named. 

Want to see the next total solar eclipse in 2026? An expert recommends booking travel now.

  • 2026 will be Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years.
  • Travelers worldwide will likely head to Spain, Iceland, and Greenland for the event.
  • A hotel expert encouraged travelers to start planning and booking their trips now.

Insider Today

It'll be two decades before the next total solar eclipse hits the US .

Another option: hop on a plane to Europe and turn the 2026 total solar eclipse into a viewing vacation.

Eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler at GreatAmericanEclipse.com told Space.com that up to 3.7 million people likely traveled for the solar eclipse on Monday.

HotelPlanner's chief communication officer, Philip Ballard, told Business Insider that the eclipse was a major revenue generator for many cities. For places like Austin, Texas, and Rochester, New York, it could have created $1 billion in revenue, Vox reported.

"I would say the total solar eclipse has become a global phenomenon," Ballard said.

Ballard added that the next solar eclipse , which will pass through Iceland, Greenland, and Spain on August 12, 2026, could result in similar tourism and revenue influxes.

And if travelers are considering a trip to Europe for the solar eclipse, Ballard recommends planning your trip now.

Determine your eclipse viewing destination

According to Space.com , 2026 will be Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years. Its path will go through Greenland, parts of western Iceland, and northern Spain.

Choosing where to watch the eclipse will be a tough and important decision for travelers.

Iceland and Greenland have some positives. These regions will experience longer totality times, so viewers can watch the eclipse longer. Plus, the sun will be higher in the sky, so finding a spot to watch the eclipse will be less challenging, Space.com reported.

The downside is that these regions are more likely to be cloudy, according to the outlet.

Related stories

While parts of Spain are likely to offer clearer skies, the eclipse's timing will be shorter and closer to the horizon, which means travelers will need to plan and track down a viewing location with unobstructed views of the western horizon, Space.com reported.

Regardless of the destination, according to the outlet, one bonus is that the strongest meteor shower in the Northern Hemisphere will happen the following night, so travelers can pack two events into one trip.

Book flights and hotels far in advance

Ballard encouraged people to book their hotels in their destination of choice as far in advance as possible.

"You should start looking now and booking hotels now because those cities in the path are already going to be at peak season," Ballard said.

Ballard said it's similar to when a Super Bowl city is determined or a Taylor Swift tour date is announced — you immediately see spikes in bookings. He predicts hotel occupancy rates will hit near-record highs, and room prices may double around the solar eclipse date.

Ballard's general rule of thumb is to book international travel at least three months in advance, but since this is such an anticipated event, booking earlier is smart. His advice is to start discussing plans with friends and family. If you decide on a destination, book a refundable room to keep your options open if plans change.

Regarding purchasing a plane ticket, a study from Expedia states that international travel's sweet spot is at least six months in advance.

According to Expedia, travelers who book six months in advance save an average of 10% more than travelers booking within two months or less.

Skip the hassle of planning altogether and book a solar eclipse tour

Another option is to let a tour operator do the work for you. A handful of tour companies have seen the increased interest in the solar eclipse and launched tours designed around the event.

These tours will have predetermined locations to view the eclipse, hotel blocks reserved, and itineraries highlighting both the region and the eclipse.

However, these can sell out quickly. For example, Space and Telescope created an 11-day tour of Spain around viewing the 2026 solar eclipse. The tour has already sold out as of Wednesday, and the waitlist is full.

Other operators, such as Wilderness Travel and Eclipse Traveler, have similar itineraries for the total eclipse in 2026.

Watch: A small Australian town was treated to a rare hybrid solar eclipse

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Dark Sky Utah: A complete guide to astro-travel in America's darkest state

Utah is a haven for stargazers and astrophotographers alike.

The milky way stretches across the starry sky above a meandering river below.

  • Find a dark sky

Astrophotography in Utah

  • Utah's International Dark Sky Parks

Southeast Utah

Cedar breaks national monument, bryce canyon national park, kodachrome basin state park, southcentral utah (darkest zone), capitol reef national park, goblin state park, eastern utah, arches national park, canyonlands national park, dead horse point state park, southeastern utah, natural bridges national monument, goosenecks state park, additional information.

It's impossible to talk about astrotourism without mentioning Utah. 

The Beehive State in the southwest of the U.S. is home to no fewer than 22 national parks , state parks and other beauty spots protected by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). Some, like Arches, Canyonlands and Bryce Canyon are world famous not only for their dark skies but for their incredible red rock scapes that make them a magnet for astrophotographers as well as stargazers . 

Even to list every International Dark Sky Park would be to merely scratch the surface because Utah — population 3.3 million (mostly concentrated around Salt Lake City) — has an uncountable amount of other dark locations. Canyons that block light from nearby towns, hotels with observatories on top, remote mountain ranges and scenic stops on quiet highways through vast empty landscapes. 

Related: The ultimate guide to planning epic stargazing road trips in the US southwest  

How to find a dark sky in Utah

Utah is huge and mostly empty, with about 80% of its 3.5 million population living in the 'Wasatch Front' between Logan via Salt Lake City and Provo in the north of the state. 

To best understand Utah as a stargazing destination have a look at DarkSiteFinder.com or any light pollution map . Then scour the recreational maps on the Bureau of Land Management , the National Forests and America's Scenic Byways for out-of-the-way campsites, many of which are as dark as anywhere on the planet. You'll find them to the east, the south and the west of Salt Lake City.  

Celestron Astro Fi 102

Looking for a telescope to see the features of the stars , moon and planets up close? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide .  

"The landscape is so varied — there are beautiful tall snowy mountains, winding red rock canyons, arches, and everything in between," Bettymaya Foott , an astrophotographer and Director of Engagement at the International Dark-Sky Association told Space.com in an email. 

"The juxtaposition of a beautiful starry sky against a breathtaking landscape makes it pretty hard to take a bad photo." If you want to avoid the crowds, check out some of the lesser-visited Utah State Parks. " Goosenecks State Park is incredibly beautiful, and you don't have to hike to get to an amazing viewpoint and set up all your heavy equipment," says Foott. " Goblin Valley State Park also has amazing hoodoos to play around with infinite compositions and you feel like you're on another planet." 

If you're looking to make a trip to a dark sky park and are looking for a telescope or binoculars to help your observations our guides for the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals now can help. Our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography can also help you prepare to capture the next skywatching sight on your own. 

Utah's best International Dark Sky Parks

If you're after car parking, facilities and accommodation — from camping to luxury hotels — then you'll be happiest in a Dark Sky Park, which includes National Parks, State Parks and National Monuments. Most also offer stargazing programs in spring and summer conducted by Dark Sky Rangers (check each location's official website for details). Each park is rated here by Go Astronomy for its darkness using the Bortle scale — a measure of the quality of the night sky for a particular location — with 1 being "Excellent dark‑sky site" and 2 being a "truly dark site". 

Related: 21 amazing dark sky reserves around the world  

Graphic showing what the night sky looks like at different bortle scales, with lots of stars visible in number 1 (on the right) and barely any night sky visible in number 9 (on the left)

Northeast of Las Vegas on Interstate 15 brings you to Zion National Park, with Bryce Canyon National Park and Kodachrome Basin State Park to the east and Cedar Breaks National Monument to the north forming a triangle of stargazing destinations. 

the milky way arches across the star-filled sky with the silhouettes of trees below.

About 250 miles south of Salt Lake City, Cedar Breaks National Monument has locations that double as places to gawp at both the incredible amphitheater of eroding arches, towers and hoodoos (irregular columns of rock), and the night sky. As a bonus it's all at 10,000 feet, so offers crystal-clear conditions under clear skies (wrap up warm!). Very close is the small ski resort of Brian Head . It holds weekly star parties in summer .  

A hoodoo with small windows and Thor's Hammer against a night sky with clouds and the Milky Way below Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.

Home to the oldest astronomy program in the National Park Service, but an International Dark Sky Park only since 2019, Bryce Canyon National Park is a small park on a ridge overlooking a natural amphitheater of hoodoos and spire-shaped red rock formations. Visit Sunrise Point , Sunset Point , Inspiration Point and Bryce Point for exquisite views both day and night thanks to the park's high elevation of about 9,000 feet (wrap up warm at night!). The excellent visitor's center at the entrance hosts astronomy lectures , many of which include telescopes lined up outside for deep-sky viewing. There's also an annual astronomy festival .  

partly cloudy sky with stars on the right side of the image and a rock formation in the foreground.

Just 30 minutes from Bryce Canyon, but far less visited, the Kodachrome Basin State Park is a region of dozens of hoodoos and multicolored spire-like sedimentary pipes that make it a great alternative to its more famous neighbor. With fewer visitors, it's the perfect place for astrophotography.  

A great way to see the darkest areas of Utah, as well as some of its unmissable parks, is to travel the Highway 12 Scenic Byway . It takes in Bryce Canyon National Park, Kodachrome Basin State Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Capitol Reef National Park, with Goblin State Park conveniently placed if you plan to travel on to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.  

Milky way stretches across the sky diagonally above a large towering rock formation.

Another often overlooked stop, Capitol Reef National Park is conveniently placed if you're driving to Arches and Canyonlands from Salt Lake City. Its slot canyons, domes and red rock cliffs have plenty of places to go stargazing , but as well as being an attraction itself, the nearby town of Torrey is also a Dark Sky Community.  

the milky way stretches across the night sky behind a large rock formation.

On the western edge of Canyonlands, this extraordinary — and very remote — valley best visited on an epic trip between Moab and Bryce Canyon is all about its strange and colorful mushroom-shaped sandstone pinnacles, known as goblins. The campground at Goblin State Park has 14 sites for vehicles, 10 for tents and two yurts.   

This is the most frequently visited area of Utah for anyone after dark skies and red rocks. It makes sense to stay in gateway town Moab though there are plenty of places to camp in and around Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.  

A large rock arch is in the foreground and in the background is the milky way.

The most famous and most visited destination in Utah, Arches National Park has become a victim of its own success. April 2023 sees the start of timed entry tickets to reduce traffic, though you can easily come and go at night. It's not a large park, but there are some distinct areas to explore at night. Delicate Arch is a 30-minute hike from a dedicated car park, while The Windows area has several arches to explore in a small area. Balanced Rock is right by the main road through the park. The super-slim Landscape Arch is accessed via Devil's Garden Trail , which is also where you'll find the Devil's Garden campground , which can be booked in advance. 

the milky way stretches across a star-studded sky with rocky terrain below.

Canyonlands National Park 's vast region of 527 square miles covers two distinct areas — the high-elevation Islands In The Sky area accessed north of Moab and The Needles area of spires, pinnacles and canyons below that's visited from a separate entrance south of Moab. The former gives sweeping views over the Green and Colorado rivers and also includes Mesa Arch , an iconic sight often captured with the Milky Way in the background (come in sporing for that) and at sunrise.  

starry sky above silhouettes of trees and rocks.

The first Utah State Park to achieve IDA certification, Dead Horse Point State Park , adjacent to Canyonlands National Park is often bypassed. Don't do that because the views of a bend in the Colorado River from 2,000 feet above the south-facing Dead Horse Point Overlook are unbeatable. The Rim Trail offers incredible vantage points while conveniently positioned is the Kayenta Campground , which can be booked in advance, and has picnic tables, fire rings, tent pads and electrical hookups. The visitors center close by conducts regular stargazing sessions. 

This part of Utah is most often visited on an itinerary that takes in the dozens of National Parks and beauty spots of the Four Corners region of the southwest U.S. which includes Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. 

Large rocky bridge formation with the milky way in the background.

The first International Dark Sky Park in the world in 2009, Natural Bridges National Monument is as remote as it gets — just check a light pollution map for proof of that. There's a first-come-first-served served campsite and its three major arches — Kachina , Owachomo and Sipapu — can be visited day or night from close to a circular loop. Park rangers give interpretive discussions on astronomy in spring and summer. 

the milky way fills the starry sky above a meandering river below.

Conveniently placed if you're traveling from Natural Bridges National Monument to Monument Valley Tribal Park on the Utah-Arizona border, Goosenecks State Park , the high desert close to Mexican Hat has an incredible view looking north over an entrenched meander (a 'gooseneck') in the San Juan River 1,000 feet below. It's a fabulous place for stargazing and astrophotography. It's been an International Dark Sky Park since 2021.  

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is working to preserve the night sky for its cultural and scientific value and to do that it has worked with countries to create dark sky reserves and parks around the world. 

For an area to be certified as a Dark Sky Reserve it must meet the minimum criteria for sky quality and natural darkness and go through a rigorous application process with the IDA. You can learn more about their processes on the IDA's official website .

For more information and guidance for a Utah-based stargazing trip, the tourism website VisitUtah.com has a wealth of useful resources. This article was written with travel supported by VisitUtah.com.

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Jamie Carter

Jamie is an experienced science, technology and travel journalist and stargazer who writes about exploring the night sky, solar and lunar eclipses, moon-gazing, astro-travel, astronomy and space exploration. He is the editor of  WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com  and author of  A Stargazing Program For Beginners , and is a senior contributor at Forbes. His special skill is turning tech-babble into plain English.

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Astro Tourism Is Now a Thing

By Jordi Lippe-McGraw

Hikers under the northern lights in Iceland.

There are plenty of reasons to visit a destination: its culture, history, attractions, food. But travelers’ interests are a bit more up in the air lately—literally. Whether it’s the Northern Lights or the solar eclipse , more people are booking trips just to witness celestial events. In other words: Astro tourism is officially a thing.

Need proof? U.S. hotels are already selling out for the total eclipse happening August 21, 2017, visitors are coming in droves to Iceland in hopes of seeing the aurora borealis, and properties across the world are now offering sun, moon and star-themed activities.

“We have certainly received increased astro-tourism interest and advance bookings from guests enthusiastic about witnessing the solar eclipse,” Jennifer Anderson Gragg, Director of Marketing for South Carolina's Wild Dunes Resort , told Condé Nast Traveler . “Our resort, which is the final stop before the sun heads out into the Atlantic, has been steadily booking room nights in the days surrounding the solar eclipse since last summer and is pacing far ahead for the typical late August timeframe. We fully expect to sell out well in advance.”

Several blogs  are also ranking the top places to view the rare occurrence, which will last only 30 to 161 seconds. Where you watch is up to you, and you have options. To name a few: You can take part in multi-day events like AstroCon2017 in Wyoming and SolarFest in Oregon, as well as eclipse-themed tours of Yellowstone National Park and the Oregon Eclipse music festival.

As the fascination with the Northern Lights booms, so does visitation to the countries with the best views. Hotel Ranga in Hella, Iceland built an onsite astronomical observatory, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Saariselka, Finland uses glass igloos for their rooms offering guests a spectacular view of the natural phenomenon, and Canopy by Hilton in Reykjavik , Iceland has a “Northern Lights Package,” which includes complimentary admission to Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center,

“Given its location two degrees south of the Arctic Circle, Iceland is one of the few countries where the Aurora Borealis can be seen clearly and continues to be a top tourism draw to the destination,” Ólöf Guðmundsdóttir, General Manager, Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre, told Condé Nast Traveler . “We saw an opportunity to tap into this lively spirit as well as Iceland’s unique adventure options that draw just under a million guests to Iceland each year.”

Even the everyday sun and moon phases are peaking traveler’s curiosities, these days. Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort now hosts a five-course, full-moon inspired dinner on the beach, Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island offers guests the chance to take a guided nighttime tour across the Quonochontaug Pond, Horizon X  is excited to be the only company on the Ottawa River to offer full moon rafting trips, and Calico Jack’s on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman puts on a party in honor of the monthly event.

“Full Moon dinners at Hilton Los Cabos are increasing,” Roberto Martinez, Director of Food & Beverage at Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort, told Condé Nast Traveler . “Guests love to come to Hilton Los Cabos to see the full moons from our terrace since the views above the Sea of Cortez are very clear above the ocean.”

The stars are getting some love, too. Las Ventanas al Paraiso , a Rosewood Resort in Mexico, boasts its very own astronomer, and offers a telescope in every guest room.  Carlo Magno Hotel Spa Resort in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy gives guests access to an astronomical observatory, as well as guided evening sessions with their telescope. And adventure travel company Holiday River Expeditions sold out of all trips last year launched in honor of the International Dark Sky movement, which helps preserve unadulterated night skies at designated sites around the world.

“With the success of our first year's trip series we have expanded our offerings from four to six departures with a trip leaving every month from May to October,” said John Wood, Co-Owner and President of Holiday River Expeditions.

Want to book your celestial getaway? There’s still time to see the Northern Lights—prime season runs through March. If that's too short notice, head to a Dark Sky location this summer, as Saturn's rings will be tilted toward the earth at a greater angle (and thus more visible) than they have been in 14 years. You're in time: Hotels across the country are still taking bookings to catch August’s solar eclipse, giving you plenty of cushion to plan your first astro trip.

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Astro-tourism: Expert tips on traveling to see eclipses and meteors

Vahe Peroomian  is a professor of physics and astronomy at the  University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences .

For years, small groups of astronomy enthusiasts have traveled the globe chasing the rare solar eclipse. They have embarked on cruises to the middle of the ocean, taken flights into the eclipse's path and even traveled to Antarctica . In August 2017, millions across the U.S. witnessed a total solar eclipse visible from Oregon to South Carolina, with a partial eclipse visible to the rest of the continental U.S.

The interest in astronomical events that this eclipse sparked will likely return with two eclipses visible in the U.S. during the next year – the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023, and the total eclipse on April 8, 2024. But astro-tourism – traveling to national parks, observatories or other natural, dark-sky locations to view astronomical events – isn't limited just to chasing eclipses.

According to a recent study, 80% of Americans and one-third of the planet's population can no longer see the Milky Way from their homes because of light pollution . As a consequence, most people have to travel to witness meteor showers and other common astronomical events.

I am a space scientist with a passion for teaching physics and astronomy and photographing the night sky. Every summer I spend several nights backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, where the skies are sufficiently dark to allow the Milky Way to be seen with the naked eye. My son and I also like to take road trips – often along U.S. 395, the Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway – that coincide with eclipses and meteor showers.

Can't-miss astronomical events

There are two types of eclipses. Lunar eclipses occur when the full moon passes through Earth's shadow. Solar eclipses occur when the new moon briefly blocks the Sun.

There are three types of solar eclipses. During a total eclipse, the Moon completely covers the Sun, with totality, or the time during which the Sun is completely eclipsed, lasting as long as seven minutes. During totality, those in the path of the eclipse will see the Sun's corona , or its outer atmosphere, behind the Moon's silhouette.

The Moon's orbit around the Earth is an ellipse, so the Moon can appear to be 15% smaller when it's at its farthest point from Earth, its apogee, compared with its size when it is at its closest point to Earth, its perigee. An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon doesn't cover the entire disk of the Sun, leaving a ring of sunlight around the Moon.

Finally, a partial eclipse occurs when the Moon blocks only a part of the Sun's disk, as the name implies.

Meteor showers are a far more common astronomical event than eclipses, and they are visible from any dark-sky location on Earth. Meteor showers occur when Earth's orbit around the Sun takes it through the dust left behind by a comet . The Earth sweeps up the dust like a car speeding through a cloud of insects on the highway.

Meteor showers are named for the constellations from which the meteors seem to emanate , though it's not necessary to stare in that direction to see meteors. The most prominent meteor showers, occurring on approximately the same dates every year, are the Perseids , named for the constellation Perseus and peaking on the night of Aug. 12-13; the Geminids , named for the constellation Gemini, on Dec. 14-15; and the Lyrids , named for the constellation Lyra, on April 21-22. The night sky will be mostly moonless for the first two this year, but a nearly full moon will make the Lyrid shower of 2024 difficult to see.

Tips for aspiring astro-tourists

One of the most important factors to consider when planning an outing to stargaze or to watch a meteor shower is the phase of the Moon. The full moon rises at about 6 p.m. and sets at 6 a.m., making stargazing all but impossible because of its brightness. For ideal stargazing conditions, the Moon should be below the horizon, and the best viewing conditions are during new moon. You can use a moonrise/moonset calculator to determine the phase of the Moon and its rise and set times for any location on Earth.

Another important factor is weather. Amateur astronomers always joke that the sky is cloudy during the most interesting astronomical events. For example, most major cities in the U.S. that are in the path of the April 2024 eclipse have had cloudy skies on April 8 60% of the time since the year 2000.

Most Americans live in heavily light-polluted areas. A light pollution map such as lightpollutionmap.info can help identify the nearest dark-sky location, which, in my case, is hours away. These maps often use the Bortle dark-sky scale , which reports 1 for extremely dark skies to 9 for highly light-polluted city centers.

Though you may still see the brightest meteors from city suburbs, the darker your sky, the more meteors you'll see. In general, expect to see fewer than 25 meteors per hour. To see the complex structure of the Milky Way with the naked eye, look for a location with a Bortle index of 3 or below.

It's important to arrive at your chosen site early, preferably during daylight hours. Stumbling around in the dark at an unfamiliar site is a recipe for disaster and may also disturb others who are already at the site. Arriving early also gives time for your eyes to adapt to the dark as night falls, as it typically takes 30 minutes or even longer for your eyes to reach their full dark-adapted potential.

Make sure to carry a headlamp or flashlight that has a red light setting, as red light doesn't ruin night vision . Avoid using your phone, as even a glance at the screen can ruin your eyes' dark adaptation. If you're using a sky-viewing app, switch the app to night mode.

Plan ahead if you're thinking of traveling to view one of the eclipses visible in the U.S. next year. If you're in the path of the eclipse , stay put! If you're traveling, staying at the same location overnight before and after the eclipse can help avoid the hourslong traffic jams experienced by eclipse watchers in 2017.

Also, you should never look at the Sun directly with the naked eye, even during a total eclipse . You'll need a pair of inexpensive eclipse glasses to watch and fully enjoy the eclipse, but get yours early, as many stores ran out of glasses during the 2017 eclipse.

No matter where you travel during the next year, don't forget to look up at night and marvel at the beauty of the night sky away from city lights.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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How to plan the ultimate astro-tourism adventure this summer.

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The most popular destinations on a stargazing road trip around the U.S. have been revealed.

Astro-tourism is one of 2024's biggest travel trends, but with so many of the best stargazing places in the U.S. in the nation's west, a road trip is the easiest way to visit them.

Check With The Moon

Timing is everything. One of the most important factors to remember when planning your stargazing trip is the moon's phase. Do not arrive at a dark place in the week before the full moon, and expect to see any stars. The night skies are by far the darkest in the week before a new moon and for about four evenings after, giving you a two-week window for a fabulously dark vacation. You can check the moon phase here .

Most Popular Parks For Stargazing

Camping World recently analyzed online search activity around over 50 stargazing locations in the U.S. to identify the top 15 most popular. It's a good list, but it could be a better list. In fact, for almost all of them, there's a darker alternative nearby that will help you see more stars—mainly because there will be fewer people—and where it will likely be more accessible to book a campground. You could easily argue that famous places are the ones to stay away from, for wherever there are people, there is light.

So here's the top five—and an alternative suggestion.

1. Glacier National Park, Montana

Google searches per month: 368,000

Official website / Dark Sky Park

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Suggested alternative: Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge (Dark Sky Park)

2. Acadia National Park, Maine

Google searches per month: 246,000

Official website

Suggested alternative: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (Dark Sky Sanctuary)

3. Big Bend National Park, Texas

Google searches per month: 201,000

Suggested alternative: Big Bend Ranch State Park (Dark Sky Sanctuary)

4. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Suggested alternative: Curecanti National Recreation Area (Dark Sky Park)

5. Arches National Park, Utah

Google searches per month: 165,500

Suggested alternative: Dead Horse Point State Park (Dark Sky Park)

Camping World looked at more than 50 US locations to reveal the 15 most searched-for U.S. road trips ... [+] for stargazing.

The best way to go stargazing in any U.S. national park is to go camping or RVing—but book as soon as you can because campgrounds get booked up months in advance. Some of them have hotels and lodges, but by their very nature, they're light-polluting and almost always away from the darkest skies.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

Jamie Carter

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Your Guide to Astro-Tourism in Europe (Updated 2022)

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On my trip to the Galapagos Islands, I spent every night on the top deck of our 20-passenger boat with my gaze fixated on the sky. 

This was the first time in years I’d seen the stars without the blinding glare of city lights. It, quite literally, took my breath away; I can’t remember the last time I’d felt such an immense sense of awe and wonderment. 

As I sat there for what felt like hours with my neck craned skyward and my mouth agape, it struck me: I suddenly understood why astro-tourism is on the rise, why more and more people are choosing to spend their precious vacation time chasing the cosmos.

Now that I’m back in a city where light pollution hinders my view of the night sky, I’m longing to jet off to a place where I can look up and see the shimmer of stars and the glow of other galaxies. 

I probably won’t be going back to that isolated archipelago in the Pacific Ocean anytime soon, but thankfully, some of the best stargazing sites are located in Europe — and many are within easy reach of the continent’s major capitals.

If, like me, you’re feeling compelled to spend your next holiday losing yourself in the cosmos, these astro-tourism hotspots will help you do just that.

Why is astro-tourism on the rise?

Dark sky parks, observatories, celestial experiences, aurora spotting, stargazing tips.

Travel to: Stargazing destinations in Europe and beyond

The starry night sky and nebula

Travellers are looking for a few key attributes in a holiday destination: they want to go to a place where they can get away from the well-trodden tourist trail; a place where they’ll have minimal impact on the planet’s finite resources; and a place where they can reconnect with nature and come away feeling refreshed. Astro-tourism ticks all those boxes!

As people set off in search of dark skies to chase the cosmos, they’re heading to some of the most remote places on Earth — from otherworldly pockets of desert to designated dark sky parks.

And since astronomy-themed tourism puts sustainability at the forefront, it lends itself perfectly to the type of environmentally-friendly holiday travellers are seeking.

What’s more, humankind has been looking to the stars for centuries, hoping to glean answers about the universe and our place within it. On the most primitive level, stargazing holidays are a way for us to reconnect with something that’s been deeply ingrained in our DNA since the dawn of time.

So it’s no surprise, then, that a celestial adventure serves as more than just an escape from our overly-digitised world — it can also act as a catalyst for a profound and transformative travel experience.

Two people sitting on the ground gazing up at the starry night sky

See Also: The Best Places to Go Stargazing in Europe

The best places for dark sky tourism in Europe

From dark sky reserves to observatories and northern lights hotspots, these are some of the best places to see the star-spangled sky in all its glory across Europe.

Galloway Forest Park, Scotland

Far removed from any hint of light pollution, Galloway Forest Park is one of the most spectacular places in Europe to appreciate the dazzling night sky.

Ink-black and dotted with luminous stars, streaking meteors, and distant planets, the skies here are stellar in every sense of the word — which is why the International Dark-Sky Association awarded it with Dark Sky Park status in 2009.

You’ll be wowed by the park’s wild, unspoiled landscape, but don’t forget to turn your head skyward: more than 7,000 stars are visible with the naked eye, along with the unmistakable glimmering band of the Milky Way. 

Two powerful telescopes are on offer here, if you’re keen to get an up-close view of distant objects such as nebulae.

Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, Ireland

Spanning 700-square kilometres on the Iveragh Peninsula, this dark sky reserve is naturally protected against light pollution thanks to its unique position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Kerry Mountains.

Most of the region’s prime stargazing sites are accessible by car, and on a clear night, there’s a good chance you’ll see the Andromeda Galaxy — the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way.

Exmoor National Park, England

Roughly 3,000 stars are visible on the clearest of nights in Exmoor National Park, but once darkness descends, you’re virtually guaranteed a spectacular light show at this dark sky reserve.

You can indulge in a spot of stargazing here year-round, but the skies are especially clear during the winter months (between November and February) — which also happens to be the best time of year to see the Orion constellation.

For an unobstructed view of the starry sky, head to one of the park’s many stargazing sites: Dunkery Beacon, Brendon Two Gates, the Pinkery Centre for Outdoor Learning, or Webbers Post.

Person standing with their arms spread staring at the starry night sky

Westhavelland Nature Park, Germany

Situated 70km west of the bright and bustling city of Berlin, Westhavelland Nature Park is one of the most accessible dark sky destinations in Europe. It’s also home to one of the largest contiguous wetlands on the continent, acting as a haven for several endangered plant and animal species. 

By day, you can spot beavers, white-tailed eagles, and Eurasian otters, and at night, you can break out your binoculars to admire the Milky Way, glowing like a river of glistening lights.

Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales

With some of the highest quality dark skies in all of the United Kingdom , there’s no doubt a visit to Brecon Beacons will leave you starry-eyed. 

The park is full of conveniently-located stargazing viewing points, so you can set up your telescope without having to venture too far from a car park. On a clear night, you’re likely to spot everything from major constellations to nebulas and even meteor showers.

Pic du Midi, France

More than 100,000 people flock to Pic du Midi — a dark sky reserve set against the stunning peaks of the Pyrenees Mountains — every year to marvel at the Milky Way, constellations, and zodiacal light (a faint, hazy glow that appears when sunlight reflects off tiny space particles).

The park’s observatory is the place to be for phenomenal astronomical views, but if you really want to make the most of your time here, consider booking a Night at the Summit package, which includes a cable-car ride to the summit, dinner, a guided stargazing session, and overnight accommodation.

A mountain range with a star-studded sky and the Milky way overhead

See Also: Dark Sky Locations for Stargazing in Wales

If you want to get a little closer to the cosmos while your feet are still firmly planet on terra firma, the following observatories can help make that happen.

Teide Observatory, Tenerife, Spain

On Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands , you’ll find some of the clearest skies in the world; this is where planets pepper the sky and the Andromeda Galaxy can be spotted with the naked eye.

If you geek out over all things astronomy, you can’t miss this place: the Teide Observatory houses an array of solar and nocturnal telescopes owned by more than 60 institutions from 19 countries.

Join a guided tour for a full run-down of the world-renowned facility and the equipment inside.

Kielder Observatory, Northumberland, England

Located in the heart of Northumberland International Dark Sky Park is one of Britain’s largest sky-viewing stations: Kielder Observatory. The skies here are at their best and brightest in winter — when sights like Andromeda Galaxy can be spotted without a telescope — while the summer months bring superb sights of the Milky Way, shooting stars, and comets.

There’s a whole host of events taking place throughout the year here, from lectures to interactive shows and workshops, so be sure to book ahead to enjoy the full observatory experience.

Gran Telescopio Canarias in La Palma, Canary Islands

Not all astronomy experiences involve staring up at the night sky through the lens of a telescope.

Whether it’s a luxury hotel with a stellar view or a moonlit excursion that lets you admire the sky while you’re on the move, here are a few unique ways to get your astronomy fix in Europe.

Try nighttime stand-up paddleboarding in Snowdonia

If the thought of visiting an observatory doesn’t appeal to you, try hopping on a stand-up paddleboard in Snowdonia National Park, where you can enjoy unimpeded views of Wales’ crystal-clear skies while floating across a serene lake.

Book a bespoke stargazing experience in the Scottish Highlands

When you book a room at the Torridon Resort — an intimate and luxurious hotel located in one of the darkest parts of Scotland — you can organise a bespoke stargazing excursion in the surrounding Highlands with astronomer Stephen Mackintosh.

Get starry-eyed at the Kulmhotel Gornergrat in Switzerland

Sitting sky-high at 3,100 metres with the Matterhorn looming behind it, you’ll feel like you’re almost close enough to reach out and touch the stars at Kulmhotel Gornergrat.

With two observatories, six telescopes, on-site astronomy experts, and some of the most sensational stargazing conditions in Europe, this Alpine hotel was practically made for astro enthusiasts.

Photo of the night sky filled with stars and the Milky Way

The best time to see the northern lights in Europe is between the months of October and March. You can choose from several regions in the far reaches of Northern Europe, but when it comes to frequency and visibility, some destinations are better than others.

For the best chance of witnessing the elusive aurora borealis, head to the Aurora Zone, a region that encompasses Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

Your chances of spotting this awe-inspiring phenomenon depend on a variety of factors, but you’ll likely have a better shot in destinations like Tromsø, Norway, Reykjavik, Iceland, and Finnish Lapland.

Northern lights dancing in the night sky in Iceland

See Also: How to Photograph the Northern Lights with an iPhone, Smartphone or Camera

  • Invest in a pair of binoculars. You don’t necessarily need a telescope or professional-quality gear for your stargazing holiday, but binoculars will elevate your viewing experience. Even a relatively inexpensive pair will reveal a surprising number of sky sights you wouldn’t otherwise see with the naked eye.
  • Do some research. Read up on astronomy beforehand to get a feel for what you’re likely to spot in the night sky.
  • There’s a stargazing app for that. Download an app like Star Chart, SkyView Lite, or Google Sky to help you easily identify everything from stars to comets and constellations.
  • Be prepared. Bring extra layers, hot drinks, blankets, and chairs if needed for your stargazing session.
  • Time your holiday right. Plan your astro holiday to coincide with a special astronomical event, like a meteor shower or solar eclipse.

Ready to start planning your European astro holiday? Explore our full range of stargazing tours to get a little closer to the cosmos on your next vacation.

astro tour and travel

Ashley Nitransky

Ashley is a Content Editor at TourRadar. When she’s not writing, travelling, or obsessively checking flight prices on Skyscanner, you can find her attempting to fine-tune her photography skills or watching a shark documentary.

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Major new telescope structure completed in Germany

4/09/2024 By | Linda B. Glaser , Cornell Chronicle

The newly assembled Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST), nearly the size of a five-story building, was unveiled April 4 at an event in Xanten, Germany, attended by numerous German municipal officials – as well as Fred Young, himself. 

“It is especially pleasing to participate in what is a celebration of the result of 20-some years of involvement in the creation of this significant astronomical instrument,” said Young ’64, M.Eng. ’66, MBA ’66, who has been a major champion and benefactor of FYST since the project began. 

“CCAT (Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope) was a vision conjured early in this century by several persons, including the late Cornell professor Riccardo Giovanelli, who recruited me to financially support the project during our several trips to Chile together,” Young said. “Our product, now called the ‘Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope,’ will stand as testimony to the quality of that vision.”

The FYST is a state-of-the-art telescope whose mirror diameter alone measures 6 meters. Designed for operation in the submillimeter to millimeter wavelength range, it will provide insights into the birth of the first stars after the Big Bang as well as the formation of newer stars and galaxies. 

Fred Young, with white hair and jacket, next to man in down coat pointing at metal bolt on a piece of the telescope structure.

The telescope’s nearly completed look is only temporary, as attendees at the event were told: The FYST will soon be disassembled into 12 large pieces and transported over land and sea to the Atacama Astronomical Park, in the desert climate of the high Andes mountains of Chile.  

There it will be trucked up to an elevation of 18,400 feet near the summit of Cerro Chajnantor, where it will be the second-highest telescope in the world. The highest telescope in the world is just 50 meters beyond it at the summit of the mountain. 

“We at Cornell have been dreaming about building a telescope on Cerro Chajnantor for almost 30 years. For me, climbing on this telescope and watching it move and tilt is incredibly emotional,” said Martha Haynes , chair of the CCAT Board of Directors and Distinguished Professor of Arts & Sciences in Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences. “The best part is that there are so many young scientists who are chomping at the bit to use it to trace how the universe has developed its structure from the hot dense soup of particles at the earliest times to the superclusters, galaxies, stars and planets we see today. We won’t answer all the questions, but FYST will contribute its own special insights to our understanding of the universe.” 

Partners in the project are: Cornell; a German consortium consisting of the University of Cologne, the University of Bonn and the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching; and a Canadian consortium of several universities. The telescope was designed by CPI Vertex Antennentechnik in Duisburg and assembled in Xanten on the Wessel GmbH premises. 

The transport will be orchestrated by Vertex and is expected to take four months or longer. “The logistics of moving such big parts are not at all simple; it’s a major, major movement,” said Jim Blair, FYST project manager (A&S). 

In addition to previewing the massive undertaking of disassembly and transport, attendees at the April 4 unveiling heard lectures on the scientific and technical background of the telescope and its innovative design, as well as a movement demonstration and guided tours. 

“The novel optical design will provide high-throughput imaging with a wide field of view, enabling rapid and efficient mapping of the entire Southern Hemisphere sky,” said Dominik Riechers from the Institute for Astrophysics at the University of Cologne, who hosted the event. “We are trying to do nothing less than better understand the creation and development of our universe since the Big Bang.” 

Linda B. Glaser is news and media relations manager for the College of Arts and Sciences. 

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Crowded House Announce 2024 North American Tour

The post Crowded House Announce 2024 North American Tour appeared first on Consequence .

Crowded House have confirmed a 2024 North American tour in support of their upcoming album, Gravity Stars .

The late summer jaunt kicks off in St. Augustine, FL on August 29th, with additional shows scheduled Atlanta, New York, Niagara Falls, Chicago, Omaha, Vail, and beyond.

Get Crowded House Tickets Here

A Live Nation ticket pre-sale is set for Tuesday, April 16th (use code RIFF ), ahead of a public ticket on-sale on Friday, April 19th via Ticketmaster .

Once tickets are on sale, fans can look for deals or get tickets to sold-out shows via StubHub , where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

Gravity Stairs is set for release on May 31st via BMG. After initially previewing the album with lead single “Oh Hi,”  the band has now unveiled “Teenage Summer,” which you can stream below.

Frontman Neil Finn also recently appeared on Kyle Meredith With.. . and previewed Gravity Stars . Listen to the full episode here .

Crowded House 2024 Tour Dates: 08/29 – St. Augustine, FL @ The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre 08/30 – Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park 08/31 – Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre 09/03 – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap 09/04 – New York, NY @ The Rooftop at Pier 17 09/08 – Niagara Falls, ON @ Fallsview Casino 09/10 – Huber Heights, OH @ Rose Music Center at the Heights 09/11 – Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia Festival 09/13 – Omaha, NE @ The Astro 09/14 – Waite Park, MN @ The Ledge Amphitheater 09/17 – Vail, CO @ Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater 09/21 – Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery 09/22 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater 09/25 – Saratoga, CA @ The Mountain Winery 09/28 – Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre

Crowded House Announce 2024 North American Tour Scoop Harrison

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    Travel with the Leader in Astronomy-themed Tours At Sky & Telescope, we have a passion for astronomy, and we want to share it with you in as many ways as possible — including bringing you with us on astronomy tours around the world! Sometimes we board a ship or fly to Africa to see a solar eclipse. Other times we travel to polar countries to see the Northern Lights, or we follow in the ...

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  24. Major new telescope structure completed in Germany

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    LAS VEGAS (AP) — O.J. Simpson, el laureado astro del fútbol americano y actor de Hollywood que fue absuelto de los cargos de doble asesinato de su exesposa y su amiga, pero luego encontrado ...