“In that location, and probably within some area around the location, they keep the night lighting either at a very low level or they purposely direct light downward so that it’s not impeding your view of the night sky,” he said.
For those who live in a city, you can also visit Urban Night Sky Places, which are a relatively new designation, Walczak said.These designated areas can be a “municipal park, open space, observing site, or other similar property” near city environments whose design and planning allow for a better stargazing experience, according to the International Dark Sky Association.
“The goal of the urban night sky place is more about an area dedicated to good lighting,” and attainability for people who live in cities, he noted.Any lighting in the area must adhere to requirements from the International Dark Sky Association, he added, which can include things like limited brightness and low color temperatures.According to Lauren Scorzafava, communications manager at the International Dark Sky Association, above all “stargazing is best in a place without light pollution.” Think: areas where there aren’t a lot of artificial lights like street lights, lights from buildings and more.Avoiding light when stargazing may be a no-brainer, but it’s more complicated than you think to find truly dark areas, especially if you live east of the Mississippi River, which Walczak said is difficult because of the sheer density of population along the east coast.But, wherever you live, you should be able to find a dark place for stargazing in your state or region.