Contents FOREWORD...................... 4 INTRODUCTION................. 8 USAGE GUIDE................. 12 STARGA ZING.................. 14 Introducing the Stars........... 16 How to Stargaze................. 18 Getting Involved................. 22 Astrophotography for Beginners.......................... 26 C i t i z e n S c i e n c e .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 0 D A R K P L A C E S.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 Uluru (Ayers Roc k) , Australia. . . . . . . . 3 8 Wa r r u m b u n g l e N a t i o n a l Park, Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 0 Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia ....... 42 Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses, Brazil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 Jasper National Park, Canada............................. 46 M o n t - M é g a n t i c , C a n a d a .. . . . . . . 4 8 Parq ue N acional Tor res de l Paine, Chile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 0
Ireland ............................ 64 M a k h t e s h R a m o n , I s r a e l.. . . . . . . 6 6 Iromote -Ishigaki, Japan........ 68 Wa d i Ru m , J o rd a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 0 Erg Chebbi, Morocco........... 72 NamibRand, Namibia........... 74 Lauwersmeer National P a r k , N e t h e r l a n d s.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 6 Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reser ve, New Zealand. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 8 Aotea (Great Barrier I s l a n d ) , N e w Z e a l a n d. . . . . . . . . . . . 8 0 Ye o n g ya n g , S o u t h Ko r e a.. . . . . . . 8 2 A l b a n y à , S p a i n.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 4 B r e c o n B r e a c o n s , U K .. . . . . . . . . . 8 6 E x m o o r N a t i o n a l P a r k , U K .. . . . . 8 8 Galloway Forest Park, UK...... 90 Northumberland International Dark Sk y Park, UK............... 92 Chaco Culture National H i s t o r i c a l P a r k , U S A.. . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4 Cher r y Spr ings S ta te Par k, USA. . . . . 9 6 Cosmic Campground, USA..... 98 Craters of the Moon, USA.... 100 Grand Canyon, USA........... 102 Headlands International D a r k S k y P a r k , U S A.. . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 4 Natural Bridges National Monument, USA................. 106
E i f e l N a t i o n a l Pa r k , G e r m a n y . . . . . . 5 2 We s t h a ve l l a n d N a t u ra l P a r k , G e r m a n y.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4 H o r t o b á g y, H u n g a r y . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6 Zselic Starr y Sky Park, H u n g a r y .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 8 Jökulsárlón, Iceland............ 60 M o u n t B r o m o , I n d o n e s i a. . . . . . . . . 6 2 Kerr y Dark Sky Reser ve,
ASTRONOMY IN ACTION . E l q u i Va l l ey, C h i l e . . . . . . . . . . . . . S a n Pe d r o d e A t a c a m a , C h i l e . . . . Pic du Midi, France........... Arcetri Astrophysical O b s e r v a t o r y , I t a l y .. . . . . . . . . . . . . A r e c i b o O b s e r va t o r y, Puerto Rico......................
108 112 114 116 118 120
ECLIPSES..................... Eclipse Safety Tips ........... Catch 'Em All................... South America 2020.......... A n t a r t i c a 2 0 2 1 .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oceania and Maritime S o u t h e a s t A s i a 2 0 2 3 .. . . . . . . . . North America 2024.......... Europe 2026.................... North Africa 2027............ Australia and New Zealand 2028 .............................
212 216 217 218 222
LAUNCHES .................. China............................. Fre n c h G u i a n a.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . India ............................. Japan............................. Kazakhstan...................... N e w Z e a l a n d .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Russia............................ US .............................
246 250 252 254 256 258 260 262 264
164 168 172 176 180 184 188 192 196
SPACE FLIGHT .............. Earth-Based Space Tour ism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suborbital Space Tour ism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O r b i t a l S p a c e T o u r i s m .. . . . . . . . F r o m t h e M o o n t o M a r s.. . . . . . Solar System and Inters tellar Tour ism. . . . . . . . . . . .
268
200 202 206
CONCLUSION ............... 282
SALT, S out h Afr ic a............ T e i d e O b s e r v a t o r y, S p a i n.. . . . . . CERN, Switzerland............ Roy a l O b s e r v a t o r y, U K . . . . . . . . . Mauna Kea, USA............... M c D o n a l d O b s e r va t o r y, U S A . . . . . NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, USA......................... R o c k e t C i t y , U S A .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
122 124 126 128 130 132
M E T E O R S H O W E R S .. . . . . . . . Q u a d r a n t i d s .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ly r i d s.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E t a Aq uar ids.................... Delta Aquariids................ Perseids.......................... D r a c o n i d s .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orionids......................... Taurids........................... L e o n i d s.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G e m i n i d s.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ursids............................
138 142 144 146 148 150 152 154 156 158 160 162
AUROR A...................... A l a s k a , U S A .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C a n a d a.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finland........................... Greenland....................... Iceland........................... N o r w a y .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Russia............................ Sweden........................... Additional Aurora Borealis Destinations......... A u s t r a l i a .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N e w Z e a l a n d .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additional Aurora Australis Destinations........
134 136
210
226 230 234 238 242
272 274 276 278 280
I N D E X.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 4