The Skies and the Sea – Destinations for Unforgettable Skywatching
This post contains a few of the summary slides from my presentation at the Luxury Travel Club meeting in Greensboro, NC on July 15, 2026.
Stargazing tips:
Try to avoid periods around the full moon.
High latitudes (far north and far south) will not get dark skies during the local summertime. (You won't see stars in northern Norway in July.)
The Southern Cross is briefly visible from Hawaii or Key West southward. The farther south you go, the longer it stays in the sky. It is above the horizon all night south of latitude 35°S (Adelaide, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Cape Town). Best evening viewing of the Southern Cross is from March through August.
The Milky Way galactic core is best seen from south of the equator. It is high in the southern evening sky from June to September.
Eclipse chasing tips:
For solar eclipses, you must travel to be inside the path of totality. Check a detailed map and try to get as close to the centerline as possible.
Dedicated eclipse chasers plan years in...