Escuche esta historia
--:--
6:08
The best places on the planet to enjoy astronomical tourism
Astrotourism, a new way to travel the world
A way of doing tourism that is in accordance with the preservation of the environment, promoting the care of nature and avoiding light pollution, is astronomical tourism or astrotourism.
Astrotourism combines traditional tourism with ecotourism and scientific activity; since cities or towns must be visited in order to explore remote places, to make astronomical observations.
What is astronomical tourism?
Astronomical tourism is an activity that offers the opportunity to observe different celestial phenomena, which can be seen with the naked eye, or using a telescope.
These phenomena can be varied, for example: a meteor shower, lunar or solar eclipses, cometary passages, northern lights, solstices, or simply a sky full of stars.
In order to contemplate these wonders of nature, it is necessary to move away from urban centers, accessing places that do not have light pollution, since the artificial lights of the city do not allow the full observation of these stellar manifestations.
Although astrotourism can be carried out in a private way, in some places space observatories offer guided activities, such as showing the astronomical phenomena of a certain place, or meetings to see some important event in the night skies.
5 places to enjoy astronomical tourism at its best
1. Atacama Desert, Chile
Chile is one of the best places to decipher the mysteries of the cosmos, for this reason, more than 40% of the world's observatories are located in this country.
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is a privileged place for this activity, due to the dryness of the environment and the zero light pollution; allowing its visitors to observe clear skies during most of the year.
In this area there are two main points for astronomical observation, the Death Valley and the Monturaqui Crater.
Death Valley is a very popular destination for those who practice sandboarding, but at night, incredible views of the Milky Way are contemplated, making this wonderful place a paradise for lovers of astrotourism.
For its part, the Monturaqui Crater is the best preserved meteorite crater in South America, whose impact dates back about 100,000 years.
From inside this crater, beautiful views of the sky will be appreciated, allowing you to spot some planets such as Saturn or Jupiter, as well as the most important constellations in the Southern Hemisphere.
In this desert is the Ckepi Observatory, which offers its visitors different activities for stargazing, or tours of this important observatory.
The trained guides of the Ckepi will show you where to observe the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, the Milky Way, constellations; among other phenomena related to the night skies.
2. Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States
Since ancient times, the state of Arizona in the United States has been a special place for stargazing.
The Grand Canyon is located in the oldest national park in the United States, considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Although it is true that many tourists come to this place during the day, at night you can see one of the best astronomical shows in the world.
It was in the state of Arizona that Pluto was discovered in 1930, a place where different policies were developed to preserve clear night skies.
From the Grand Canyon you can see planets like Venus or Jupiter, constellations like Orion, or monumental views of our galaxy with multiple stars around it.
3. The Canary Islands, Spain
The Canary Islands are one of the best tourist destinations in the world, with its beaches in the Atlantic Ocean, its enigmatic volcanoes, the beauty of its cities, and a clear sky that offers one of the most impressive views of the universe on the planet.
Some of the best-known and most important astronomical observatories in the world operate on La Palma, where research related to the beginning of the Big Bang and the birth of our universe is carried out.
One of these most important research sites is the Roque de los Muchachos observatory, which is responsible for offering guided tours of various points in La Palma to see the stars, in addition to guiding you through its observatory showing you the scope of its research.
Within this volcanic island, three astronomical viewpoints stand out: the San Antonio Volcano, the Llano del Jable Viewpoint and San Borondón.
Some of the celestial manifestations that you will be able to appreciate in the Canary Islands are: the Andromeda Galaxy, the Cassiopeia and Ursa Major constellations, the Pole Star, the Milky Way.
4. Karajini National Park, Australia
Due to the location of Australia in the Southern Hemisphere of the planet, a greater number of stars are sighted than in the northern regions.
Australia is a country that has a great aboriginal culture, who for a long time dedicated themselves to observing the night skies, identifying different constellations, planets and recognizing the Milky Way.
One of the most privileged points where the ancient aborigines made their astronomical observations was the Karajini National Park, one of the largest in Australia.
Within this beautiful national park, there are two must-see places to see the stars, Dales Gorge and Karajini Eco Retreat.
From there you can see emblematic constellations of the Southern Hemisphere, such as: the Southern Cross, the constellation of El Puntero, the constellation of Orion, the Pleiades and the planet Venus.
5. Canaima National Park, Venezuela
For many, Mount Roraima, the tepuyes and the entire Canaima National Park represent one of the most important energy points on the planet, being a place of numerous mysteries and very old geological formations.
This area of Venezuela is the point with the least light pollution in the entire country, so you can enjoy good starry skies and the view of the Milky Way.
As Venezuela is very close to the equator, the vast majority of stellar constellations can be seen, such as Orion, the Great Bear, Little Bear, the constellation of Scorpio, as well as planets such as Venus, Mercury, Saturn or Mars.
To travel and camp on this site, it is advisable to follow the rules of the Pemon indigenous people who are the guardians of this mythical territory, in addition to maintaining maximum respect for the environment.
These are some of the best places for astrotourism in the world, areas where the beauty of the night sky is combined with the colorful beauty of daytime nature.
