Thank your lucky stars, Texas.
We city folks might not have the best optics when it comes to catching shooting stars and the occasional meteor shower, but out in Texas country await two stellar national parks that have been rated two of the top 10 stargazing hotspots in the entire United States of America: Big Bend National Park and Guadalupe Mountains.
Star Maps extraordinaires, Under Lucky Stars recently ranked the 10 best stargazing hotspots in America as a part of their national stargazing tour..
“Here at Under Lucky Stars, we create star maps of the constellations above, so that you can treasure your most magical moments,” the company wrote on their website. We’ve created a handy guide of every US national park, highlighting the best stargazing spots. From planning your next trip around the best places to bask in the beauty of the night sky to the stargazing spots which are closest to you, this ultimate stargazing guide has got you covered.”
The company conducted their analysis based on three metrics: accessibility, annual footfall or the busyness of parks during stargazing moments, and the visibility of the night sky according to the Bortle scale.
Coming in at number 2 on this list was Big Bend National Park. In large part, this is due to the park’s vast size as well as the virtual absence of light pollution in the area.
At number 7 on the list in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park in West Texas. Located 100 or so miles outside of El Paso, the Guadalupe Mountains offers 86,368 acres in which to view a pristine night sky.
The number 1 place to stargaze in the country according to the list is Great Basin National Park, which spans from Nevada, Oregon, and parts of California, Idaho, and Wyoming.
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