Aussie spot ranked among top stargazing destinations in the world
Feeling a little FOMO about the major eclipse event that swept across Europe? Don’t be, as you can enjoy some celestial wonder right here at home. An Aussie spot has beaten acclaimed destinations to be named among the best places to see the stars in a new index compiled by Holafly. Here are the top ten.
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10. Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania, USA // This park has been named a premier International Dark Sky Park. “On clear nights, up to 30,000 stars and the Milky Way are visible to the naked eye, often bright enough to cast shadows,” researchers said.
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9. Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA // Home to the largest astronomical observatory in the world, Go Hawai said: “Thanks to the clear air and minimal light pollution at this elevation, the stars can light the sky like glitter.”
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8. Aoraki Mackenzie, New Zealand // This ‘gold tier’ reserve offers pristine, light pollution-free views of the Milky Way, the Southern Cross, the Magellanic Clouds, and occasionally the Aurora Australis, experts said.
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7. La Palma, Spain // One of the Canary Islands, head to La Palma for a prime European astronomy experience. The island has laws that protect its sky from light pollution and has one of the most advanced telescopes in the world.
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6. Atacama Desert, Chile // This renowned spot attracts stargazers from around the world for its epic nightly sights.
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5. AlUla, Saudi Arabia // In 2024, AlUla became the first location in the Gulf to be named an International Dark Sky Park. CNN said it was recognised for its efforts to preserve night skies by keeping them free from light pollution.
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4. NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia // This private reserve is Africa’s prime stargazing area and was the continent’s first dark sky park.
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3. Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada // This vast area is tagged as a Dark Sky Preserve and is one of the largest and darkest areas in Canada, making it a prime spot for astronomers.
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2. Warrumbungle National Park, NSW // Australia’s first Dark Sky Park placed above renowned sites. It’s near Coonabarabran close to the ACT.
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