Dark Skies Exploration: A Beginner’s Guide Arches National Park Arches Tom Gainor Tom 02 Explore with a purpose Dinosaur National Monument 03 Come Prepared, Leave Jeremiah Watt Jeremiah Transformed 04 How to Whether you’re looking for easy entry into the Stargaze world of dark skies (aka astrotourism), want to in Utah discover a new or different spot, or you want to go off the beaten path, Utah offers the most 06 options for your stargazing adventure. With so much of the world in perpetual twilight, many of us What makes Utah so special? It is our numerous remote Where to never see a naturally dark night sky and thus we yearn to geographies, high elevation and arid climate, plus the stargaze, losing ourselves in a Milky Way trance. steadfast efforts of those dedicated to protecting the sky Stargaze from light pollution. These are the perfect ingredients for in Utah Utah, part of The Great Western Starry Way of the exceptional dark sky viewing. Intermountain West, is lucky to boast the highest and finest concentration ofInternational Dark-Sky parks and Find stories, videos and itineraries for communities in the world. Let your dark sky journey begin! exploring Utah’s dark skies at visitutah.com/stars 01 | Dark Skies Exploration: A Beginners Guide Utah Office of Tourism Bonneville Salt Flats Jake Nackos Explore with a Purpose When looking up at the dark sky, our first But the beauty of astrotourism is that the “Every child, every human, should have access “Access to a dark instinct may be to peer inward and think about experience allows for a deeper appreciation to dark skies,” said Johnson, a longtime our place in the vast universe. Many say this for the darkness and its positive effects on astrophotographer and an associate director night sky — to see experience is transformative. But if you also the environment, humans and our sense of at the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City, turn your gaze — and your actions — outward, place. Dark skies are also tied to our sense of which offers dome theater shows to learn and be inspired by it can benefit the community, neighbors, rural character, said Bettymaya Foott, a Moab, about the solar system. wildlife and the environment. With good Utah, native and director of engagement the universe as it planning, thoughtful choices and enough with the International Dark-Sky Association. Johnson said the Clark Planetarium is a great time to really explore, your engagement with “Astrotourism provides an incredible resource to help you get started in planning really is — should Utah’s extraordinary night sky will be rich with opportunity for rural economic revitalization, your dark sky trip. Whether you have a little or lifelong memories. with the added benefits of supporting local a lot of time to explore, experts can help you be a human right, efforts and programs to lessen light pollution personalize your trip based on what part of the So, how do you embark on this journey for the benefit of wildlife and the community,” celestial sky interests you most. not a luxury for to explore Utah at night? It starts by she said. understanding our relationship to light. In And Johnson’s insider tip? Allow yourself general, we humans don’t think much about Planning ahead for your trip is key — and adequate time to immerse yourself in a dark the chosen few.” the power of light. It’s an invisible force and easy — with so much of Utah’s unique sky place. Pick one spot in a state park and basically intangible. Light affects everything, landscape offering opportunities to stargaze. try out different locations and times of night from how we go about our daily lives to how Take advantage of the numerous resources within that area. Let it become familiar to you, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein we interact with the world around us. available to learn about your dark sky so you can have a deeper connection to the Theoretical physicist, from “The Disordered destination and lean on local experts for place — and the universe. Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, Now flip the switch and think about the advice, guiding services and events. and Dreams Deferred.” incredible power of light and its effect on “To experience the vastness of space and darkness. Eighty percent of Americans cannot Utahn Durand “Duke” Johnson has been time helps put the Earth and our place on it see the Milky Way due to light pollution. Light staring at the night sky his entire life. He grew in perspective,” he said. “It allows us to focus impacts our health and that of wildlife — from up on a farm in North Dakota experiencing on the things that are important to us in our a neighbor’s outside light shining through your with unaided eyes the dark sky and its billions community, the environment and wildlife.” window and inhibiting sleep to artificial light of stars. He landed here as an adult, capturing disturbing wildlife that depends on darkness through the lens of a camera the mystical solar to survive. Nearly seventy percent of mammal system, framed by the geometric shapes of species are nocturnal. the state’s myriad landscapes. 02 | Dark Skies Exploration: A Beginners Guide Utah Office of Tourism Monument Valley Plan when and how to visit months, keep in mind that Utah Binoculars To have the best viewing may have warm days, but the While you can get an amazing experience, time your trip nights can get quite cool — night view just with your naked around the moon phases. even cold in higher elevations. eyes, any type of binoculars Clay Banks You don’t want a full moon Layer up and bring gloves and are a great tool to also aid in washing out the Milky Way. a hat. looking at different star clusters Visit in the week before or after and planets. a new moon. And while you Always bring water can certainly venture out on Whether you’re hiking to your Telescope your own in a designated or viewing destination or hanging You don’t need a telescope, undesignated dark sky area, out in a parking lot, you may but if you have one that’s easy take advantage of local star get thirsty and dehydrated. to transport, bring it along. You parties, presentations and Bring plenty of water for won’t be disappointed. events offered at Utah state and yourself and your group — national parks. (See more in the preferably in reusable bottles. Camera and tripod next section, “How to Stargaze If you want to test out your in Utah”) Snacks and warm beverages advanced photography skills, Bring healthy snacks and food pack up your camera and tripod Consider your comfort level such as trailmix, snack bars, and experiment with different in the dark sandwiches, finger foods, hot shutter speeds and settings. A crescent moon night can chocolate and coffee or tea. Read these tips on how to take also enhance your view in that Watching the night sky change photos of stars. it allows you to experience can take a couple hours or the vast Utah landscape with more (including time for your Extra batteries and external some light at night but it’s eyes to adequately adjust to charger not so bright as to block out the dark), so be prepared with As back-up, don’t forget other celestial features. And munchies. Pack out any trash Come Prepared, batteries for your headlamp for young kids who might be you bring in. or flashlight and an external afraid, try a full moon walk or charger for your phone. hike first to get them used to Headlamp or flashlight with Leave Transformed being outside in the dark that’s a red light Apps and websites for not too dark. Red lights are best for night stargazing vision, versus bright white 13 tips to help you plan ahead for an Tell someone where you’re There are many cell phone lights, which will stop your eyes going to be apps that identify constellations from adjusting to the night and unforgettable dark sky trip in Utah and stars, which come in night Whether hiking or stargazing in decrease your ability to see the mode and won’t ruin your eyes’ Utah’s backcountry, it’s always a stars clearly. adjustment to the darkness. good idea to let someone know Or, if you prefer a hand-held Lunar calendar American Meteor Society your whereabouts and when to Camping chair or blanket (plan for media shower viewing) version, you can pick up a star Light Pollution Map expect you back. Be prepared to lounge back in Dark sky meter app International Dark-Sky Association chart at nearly any state park or (protecting dark skies & interactive map) a comfortable folding/camping national park visitor center. Globe at night webapp Pack warm clothes The Consortium for Dark Sky Studies chair or a blanket. The more Meet Stargazers (best (dedicated to the quality of night skies) locations for stargazing) Even if you’re planning to view settled in you are the better the Clear Sky Chart (forecast information Find stories, videos and itineraries the night sky during summer viewing experience. relevant to astronomical observing for exploring Utah’s dark skies at visitutah.com/stars Stellarium (calculate the sun’s position for sunset) 03 | Dark Skies Exploration: A Beginners Guide Utah Office of Tourism Utah Office of Tourism Prajit Ravindran Kodachrome Basin State Park Kodachrome How to Stargaze in Utah The great advantage to astrotourism is that it doesn’t depend on seasonality. You can see night or dark skies throughout the year.