I’m an Astrophotographer and Expert Stargazer — Here Are My Nighttime Viewing Tips for Auroras, Meteor Showers, and More

From bioluminescence tours to northern lights excursions, nighttime tourism is on the rise — and I understand the allure well.

I fell hard for astrotourism after an alfresco camping trip beneath the stars in the Sahara Desert. I’ve since traveled the globe to see the world’s countless after-dark wonders, including aurora hunts from hot springs in Iceland, stargazing from Chile’s remote Atacama Desert, and treks and paddles by moonlight in the Amazon Rainforest. Staying up late has helped me see a fresh side of even the most well-trodden destinations, and my new book, “100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Adventures After Dark,” which publishes Tuesday, provides a roadmap to help you plan your own nighttime outings, too.

But before you head out for a night adventure — recently nicknamed “noctourism” — there are a few important things to keep in mind. Here are eight after-dark-adventure tips I’ve learned firsthand, from must-have gear to when to travel.

Look for Dark Skies

If stargazing tops your noctourism bucket list, choose your travel location based on dark skies. Light pollution obscures the Milky Way from up to one-third of humanity, according to Astronomy Magazine. Heading beyond city lights, to a DarkSky International certified place or a national park, will ensure you see the night sky at its most shimmery. You can also choose an astronomy-specific hotel like Under Canvas Lake Powell, the first DarkSky-certified lodging, or use a light pollution map to find lesser-known locales with unobstructed nightscapes.

Plan Your Trip Around a New Moon

While a full moon is dazzling, the bright orb can act as another source of light pollution. That’s why stargazers and aurora hunters plan their trips around the new moon. During the days leading up to, on, or just after a new moon, the skies are at their darkest. This makes nighttime sights like the stars, and the ocean’s bioluminescence, much more visible.

But, Don’t Sleep on the Full Moon

The new moon is a must for stargazing, but writing my book opened my eyes to just how many night experiences coincide with the full moon, too. For example, several waterfalls, such as Victoria Falls in southern Africa and Cumberland Falls in Kentucky, see lunar rainbows when the bright moonlight gets refracted in the dense mist. In destinations like Cappadocia in Turkey, travelers can ride horseback as the full moon shines a spotlight on the destination’s otherworldly fairy chimneys. And cultural celebrations, such as Thailand’s Yi Peng lantern releases and Hong Kong’s Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, are timed around the full moon, too.

Choose Your Headlamp Wisely

 When it comes to gear, a headlamp is one of the most important items you can pack for a night adventure — but not all headlamps are created equally. You’ll want light that can alternate between bright white for safety and a red filter to preserve night vision for stargazing or aurora chasing. (Your eyes need around 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark after exposure to white light.) This travel-friendly and pilot-approved headlamp is a great option. Whether you use a headlamp or a flashlight, remember to avoid shining your light directly into an animal’s eyes, as it can temporarily blind them.

Go With a Guide

I always try to night adventure with a local guide. It’s safer, educational, and provides way more access to, and background on, a destination. Take the northern lights. On a recent trip to Yellowknife, Canada, I chased auroras with Indigenous-owned North Star Adventures, and not only saw the lights, but learned how their Dene culture views them as a message from lost loved ones. Night trekking into the Amazon with an Ecuadorian biologist helped me learn to distinguish animal calls, and twilight safaris — which almost always require a guide — provide exclusive access to wildlife when it’s at its most active.

Do a Daytime Scouting Trip

If you’re planning to stargaze, aurora hunt, or night hike alone, always visit the location by day first. Exploring a new destination under the cover of darkness presents major safety hazards; that’s why I always scout my location ahead of time, even if it’s just a quick visit. I monitor where to park, where the trail begins, and any watch-outs in the local area, such as steep path drop-offs. It’s also important to research logistics in advance, such as the hours a park or trail is open. If you’re unsure, ask the local tourism office or your accommodation.

Join National Park Night Programming

Many destinations, particularly those with dark skies, offer after-dark tours to help visitors appreciate their astronomical treasure troves. National parks often go above and beyond with night excursions. Many parks host nightly sky talks or astronomy festivals where guests gather with experts to peek through telescopes or enjoy laser-guided talks about constellations, planets, and deep-space objects. The Grand Canyon National Park’s annual June star party is among the system’s most popular event, although other ones to bookmark include Voyageurs National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Great Basin National Park.

Leave No Trace

Exploring by night immerses you in the planet’s many wonders. Yet if we’re not careful, it can also put these marvels at risk. Follow leave-no-trace principles on any after-dark outing; this includes staying on the trail, disposing of waste (take out what you bring in), respecting wildlife, and being considerate of others. For the latter, stay cognizant of where your headlamp or flashlight is pointing and remember to turn off your headlights immediately after pulling into a parking lot to ensure you don’t temporarily blind the destination’s night-sky spectators.