Stargazing is one of life’s most beautiful pleasures. More than 60% of the global population cannot see the Milky Way due to dust, pollution, and electric bulbs, which block the view of the stars completely.
What was once a natural source of beauty, stargazing now comes at a premium and for this reason, the IDA has allocated special areas where one can view the Milky Way in all its glory. These spaces are called sky reserves, and here are our top picks for all the aspiring stargazers out there.
Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand
The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve in New Zealand was declared a stargazing site by the IDA in 2012. It is best to visit this sky reserve on a moonless night and the location is ideal for viewing the southern hemisphere. Stargazers come here to view the Southern Cross, the Southern Star, Magellanic Clouds, and other dwarf galaxies. The stargazing spot is located at the Mackenzie Basin, New Zealand.
The Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales
The Welsh Brecon Beacons National park is another popular stargazing site. It boasts a very dark sky that is ideal for viewing the stars. Located at the Plas Y Ffynnon, Cambrian Way, the Welsh National Park was nominated as a stargazing spot by the IDA in 2013. The site enables you to view planets such as Jupiter and Mars without needing any specialized equipment. Using a telescope, you can easily view Jupiter’s four moons, also called the Galilean satellites.
Death Valley, California
The U.S. has the most IDA-designated stargazing spots in the world. The most popular U.S. sky park is the Death Valley National Park, located in California. The star viewing spot is so dark that the only light which can pollute the night sky is 100 miles away, illuminating from Las Vegas. The Death Valley National Park was designated in 2013 by the IDA and covers some 13,700 km of the night sky. The most popular months here for stargazing are from November to April, as there is minimal light pollution in the sky.
Pic Du Midi, France
The Pic Du Midi International Dark Sky Reserve is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in combination with the Pyrénées-Mont Perdu and Pyrénées National Park. The Dark Sky Reserve got its designation by the IDA in 2013. It also has a museum of astronomy located next to it and is located 2877meteres above MSL. Visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the night sky here through the biggest French telescope, the Bernard Lyot.
