How long has it been since you took some time out to relax and stargaze? Even if you tried doing so in your urban city life, you probably couldn’t catch the best glimpse of the stars. The polluted skies of the cities make it impossible to have a wonderful stargazing experience but there are beautiful places across the globe where one can experience the bliss of night skies. These are 10 places to see the night sky and have an ultimate star gazing experience.

 

  1. Lofoten Islands, Norway

This beautiful archipelago has serene landscapes characterized by mountains, open seas, beaches and much more mind blowing natural scenery. These islands are famous for the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). It is also known for the mix of the magical colors like yellow, purple, green, red, etc. which can be seen during the night.

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in sky over Olstind mountain peak and fjord near Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

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  1. Tuscany, Italy

With a rich historic architectural background and a backdrop of villas & valleys, this is one of the most beautiful places in Italy. An interesting fact to note is that Galileo Galilei started the revolution of astronomy in this location when he developed his first telescope. It is considered the best places in the world to view the night sky and even observe the intricate details of the Moon.

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Source : il2.picdn.net

 

  1. Atacama Desert, North Chile

This plateau in the northern part of Chile in South America is said to be the driest deserts on earth. It has become a hub for astronomical studies given its high altitude and houses one of the largest telescopes called ALMA. The clear skies for more than three-hundred days in a year makes it one of the best places for observatories and for star gazing.

This splendid picture shows the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) on Cerro Paranal in the Chilean Atacama desert. The mountaintop, 120 km south of the town of Antofagasta, is a remote haven for scientific exploration.Its distance from populated areas means that light pollution is essentially non-existent, which helps to guarantee clear views for the telescopes. It also ensures that activity is not disturbed by other human activities, such as traffic on nearby roads or dusty air from mines. The desert location means that moisture in the atmosphere is at a very low level, which contributes to the excellent atmospheric conditions. As well as the VLT, Paranal Observatory is also home to the VISTA telescope on an adjacent peak, from which this photograph was taken. The road which links the two peaks can be seen in the centre of the image, winding through the desert landscape.The two distinct bright patches seen here in the night sky are the Large and Small Magellanic clouds, which are neighbouring galaxies to the Milky Way, about 160 000 and 200 000 light-years away respectively. The path of the Milky Way itself can be seen on the left of the image. Astronomers use the VLT to study our own galaxy, the neighbouring Magellanic Clouds, and naturally also much more distant galaxies billions of light-years from Earth. On the long and winding road to the stars, observatories like the VLT are our first steps. Links ESO Photo Ambassadors

Source: cdn.eso.org

 

  1. Mauna Kea, Hawaii

The high rise volcanoes of Hawaii like Mauna Kea are home to several observatories from different nations. The dormant volcanoes of Mauna Kea are 13,000 feet above sea-level. At this elevation, there are clear skies which enable people to have a wonderful view of the stars and the sunset above the clouds is said to be spectacular.

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  1. Namib Desert, Namibia

The vast Namib Desert is considered to be one of the largest and oldest deserts in the world. A part of the desert borders with the vast ocean, making it a natural wonder. The pristine sky and the dry weather make it an ideal place to star gaze. Due to the lack of crowd, this place is perfect to experience the beauty of stars in peaceful and serene settings.

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Source: ichef.bbci.co.uk

 

  1. Spiti Valley, India

This quiet valley is far away from the cluttered polluted cities and is tucked away in the deep abyss of Himachal Pradesh. The Kibar Town of Spiti Valley is said to be elevated at 14,000 feet making it an ideal spot for star gazing. The clear magnificent skies give you an opportunity for a spectacular star-gazing experience.

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  1. Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah

This is a natural site for viewing rock formations, arcs, bridges, etc. during the day but at night, it completely changes.  A wonderful place to star gaze is when the skies are very dark. This place is considered to have the darkest skies and the distinct form of Milky Way is said to be visible from this location.

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  1. Tenerife, Canary Island

You can get to see shooting stars when you visit this beautiful and unpolluted island. This island also has starlight excursions for star gazing and astronomy enthusiasts. The Starmus Festival has been hosted on this island in every two years. Dark Sky observing with the use of telescopes is quite popular in this area also making this a very popular shooting location.

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Source: hellocanaryislands.com

 

  1. Wiruna, New South Wales, Australia

The astronomy society has a designated land for astronomical observations and even accommodation for star gazers. Every year, amateur and professional astronomers meet here to exchange ideas and have discussions. Enclosed in between eucalyptus trees, it is considered to be one of the premium star gazing sites in the world.

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Source: i.imgur.com

 

  1. Mont-Mégantic National Park, Canada

The surrounding area of Mont-Mégantic National Park is a tourism oriented observatory where a large group of people can enjoy stargazing. There are fun group activities for people to take part in along with presentations and exhibits at the science center. Nothing can beat the fun combination of your friends and stargazing at the same time!

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Stargazing can be fun and more so, it can help you relax. Our lifestyles have become very hectic and very stressful. Take a break from your busy schedules and embark on an adventurous journey to see these beautiful night skies when you have the opportunity to do so!

Are you up for watching the night sky? If you are, be sure to visit one of these places. Plan your trip with Cozmo Travel. For more exciting blogs about travel, click here.