Where on earth you can see the starry sky. The best places in the world for stargazing

The mysterious beauty of the starry sky has always attracted people. They peered into the night sky, trying to see distant galaxies, unknown planets, waiting for the fall of a star to make a wish. Interest in the stars and heavenly bodies has not faded at the present time.

Happy owners of telescopes will be able to admire the stars at any time from a flat roof, a hill or an open meadow in the park. Sidewalk astronomy is becoming more and more popular every year. Originating in the 60s, it is now experiencing a rebirth. Astronomy enthusiasts hold meetings within the city, to which they bring telescopes, observe the stars, discuss what they see, and invite everyone to join. Such meetings are organized by the Moscow Astronomical Club, the schedule of meetings is regularly updated.

What to do if you don’t have your own telescope, but you want to enjoy the view of the night view and the constellations. Where to look at the stars in Moscow? You can use the city telescopes installed in public observatories, planetariums. There are several places where everyone can look through a telescope in Moscow.

Moscow Planetarium

The grand opening of the largest planetarium in Europe took place in 1929. Over a hundred thousand people visited it in its first year of operation, and it aroused great interest in astronomy. Unfortunately, in the 1990s, the planetarium passed into private hands and was in a ruined state for more than fifteen years. Only in 2011 it was reconstructed and reopened to visitors.

The planetarium has several levels. Excursions to the planetarium in Moscow are organized. Under the open sky there is a site "Park of the Sky". In the warm season, you can enjoy the view of various planets and stars, for this, modern astronomical instruments and instruments are used. At the Large Observatory, visitors will see the Zeiss-300 telescope, designed for mass observations.

The Small Star Hall invites children to see a small starry sky. The Large Star Hall will allow you to see more than 9 thousand celestial objects, which are displayed on the dome of the planetarium with the help of a projector. Astronomy lovers will be able to visit the exposition with exhibits on the history of the planetarium. The Lunarium Museum, located on the underground floor, houses an exposition on physics and astronomy, a 4D cinema.

Planetarium in Moscow, schedule:

Monday - Sunday: 10:00 - 21:00

Day off: Tuesday

The cost of tickets to the Big Star Hall: 550-650 rubles.

Sky Park: 100 rubles

Big Observatory: 200-300 rubles. You can visit the planetarium with a discount on the action.

Get to st. Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya, 5 p.1, where the planetarium is located, can be reached on foot from the Barrikadnaya metro station.

http://www.planetarium-moscow.ru/

Observatory "Starry Sky"

http://park.sokolniki.com

In 2012, the observatory in Sokolniki, Moscow, was opened after reconstruction. An automated powerful telescope was installed in it, designed to observe distant space objects. For daytime observations, a smaller diameter solar telescope is used.

The Sun can be observed on cloudless days with the help of an external specialized telescope. In the planetarium of the observatory under the dome, lectures on astronomy are held, films about space are shown. Up to twenty people can visit the observatory at the same time.

Observatory opening hours:

Thu – Sun: 11:00 – 20:00

Cost of visiting: 100-150 rubles

Address: Sokolnichesky Val, 1 building 1.

Observatory in Gorky Park

http://park-gorkogo.com/places/132

The astronomical pavilion in Gorky Park was opened in 1929. It included: a globe of the Earth, a sundial, an observatory with a Zeiss reflector telescope. In the 1950s, there were several pavilions in the park, where everyone could admire the stars through small amateur telescopes. Observatories are called "folk" because of their accessibility. Later, a large observatory was built in Moscow, but it lasted only a few decades, closing to visitors in the nineties.

After reconstruction, the observatory was opened in autumn 2012. It was equipped with a sliding dome, powerful telescopes: solar and main for observing the stars. Now school excursions are organized in the observatory. There is a star circle where lectures on space are held, classes on orienteering in the starry sky.

The observatory is open from the beginning of summer until autumn frosts. Opening hours: 11:00 - 23:00

Entrance ticket price: 100-200 rubles

Address: Krymsky Val, 9.

Private observatory "Ka-Dar"

http://ka-dar.ru/

The observatory was created with the support of the Astronomy Foundation of the same name. Excursions to the observatory are held in clear weather at night, if the air temperature is not lower than -15 degrees. During an excursion through a telescope, you can observe the stars, hear interesting story about visible celestial objects, constellations. Pre-registration for the tour is required a couple of days in advance.

The observatory is working all year round except for two summer months(June July).

Ticket price: 500 rubles

Address: Domodedovsky district, Kuzminskoe village.

Planetarium TsDRA

http://planetarium-cc.ru/

Long Time Central House Planetarium Russian Army was open only to military personnel, but for four years it has been open to visitors and civilians. Guided tours are organized by appointment. school groups. Lectures on space topics are held. In clear weather, you can see stars and various celestial bodies through a telescope. The planetarium hall is designed for 60 seats. For individual visitors, advance booking is required.

Ticket price: 200 rubles

Address: Suvorovskaya Square, 2, building 32, Ekaterininsky Park.

This is not the entire list of places. You can also visit the student astronomical observatory of the SAI MSU, the planetarium named after B. A. Maksimachev. Those who wish to study the starry sky without leaving their homes are invited to purchase a home planetarium. This is a sophisticated device that allows you to simulate a stellar hemisphere, displaying up to 60,000 stars. Such devices allow you to have a romantic date under the starry sky. The projectors of the starry sky also create a stellar atmosphere.

Astronomical tourism has absorbed all the best from tourism and astronomy - the romance of the starry sky and the beauty of nature, the exciting joy of observing the treasures of deep space and the spirit of freedom from civilization.

Therefore, if there is time and opportunity, be sure to visit places where the stars shine brighter, the sky is bottomless, the feeling of the boundlessness of space is the strongest, and the unforgettable impressions received from the trip will remain pleasant memories for life.

City lights and big cities every year more and more obscure the night sky, preventing us from enjoying amazing light distant stars and constellations, as artificial lighting affects their visibility. Fortunately, there are still places on our wonderful planet where you can watch with bated breath the unsurpassed beauty of starlight.

According to " World Organization on the study of night glow "1/5 of the world's population has lost the ability to see Milky Way without a telescope. According to scientists, by 2025 such places for observing the stars
can be counted on fingers.

Where is the best place to go to observe the Milky Way?

Grand Canyon, Arizona is one of the most popular and exciting places for stargazing.

The night sky over Arizona fascinates with its extraordinary pristine beauty. It is almost impossible to see a more beautiful starry sky anywhere.

Bryce Canyon, Utah. Located deep in the Utah wilderness, Bryce Canyon boasts 7,500 visible stars on a moonless night. The galaxy above the canyon is an amazing, unforgettable sight.

Galloway Forest Park, Scotland. This is one of the most popular stargazing spots in all of Scotland. Over territory Galloway the darkest sky in Europe, where 7,000 stars are visible without a telescope.

Zselic Starry Sky Park, Hungary. The territory of the park was organized specifically for stargazing. It is worth noting that the Hungarian government itself was the initiator of the project. Deeply concerned about light pollution, it legislates to support projects such as night sky parks to protect them and promote ecotourism.

Namib Rand Park– territory International Association night sky in southern Namibia. This private sanctuary has been approved to become an official night sky sanctuary - the most beautiful place clusters of stars on Earth. A sprawling park that spans more than 600 square miles (1,500 square kilometers) of the South African nation, with some of the darkest skies in the world, according to a statement from the International Dark Sky Association, an organization that approves "star reserves" around the world. Park staff have done their best to dim any lighting to preserve the natural darkness for the sake of wildlife in the region and improve the views of the sparkling starry sky overhead. “Viewing the pristine night sky over the NamibRand is an unforgettable experience,” said physics professor George Tucker, who earned the region its status as a nature reserve.

Atacama Desert, Chile.

One of the best places in the world for astronomical observations due to the dry climate without precipitation, clear skies, lack of big cities and altitude. In this desert you can see the brightest stars, which look from the vastness of the universe with myriad eyes.

Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert, Chile.

Aoraki Mackenzie, New Zealand. The huge park, with a length of 4,300 square kilometers, is located in the Southern Hemisphere, from where constellations unfamiliar to us are visible - in particular, the Magellanic Clouds.

La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. La Palma is the greenest of canary islands. For fans of hiking, there are many incredibly beautiful and varied routes, and for lovers of astronomy, all conditions have been created for observing the starry sky.

“The sky is very black. The earth is blue. Everything can be seen very clearly,” Yuri Gagarin.

Every year, the number of stars visible in the night sky is mercilessly reduced. The lights of big cities outshine the night luminaries, and there are fewer and fewer places where you can see the magical starry sky. But, fortunately, there are still untouched corners, where the darkest sky and the brightest stars. And you don't have to leave our planet to see them. Forward! To the stars!

Atacama Desert (Chile)

The harsh Atacama Desert, with its landscapes more reminiscent of the surface of Mars, is one of the best platforms for observing stars on Earth. Due to the high location, dry climate and the absence of artificial light nearby, the sky is always clear and clear. Almost perfect visibility allows contemplators of the starry sky to admire the legends of the Southern Hemisphere - the Tarantula Nebula and the constellation of galaxies. And the local Paranal Observatory boasts the largest telescope in the world. The observatory invites travelers who want to see the stars to stay at the Residencia hotel, which many saw in the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

Natural Bridges National Monument (Utah, USA)

Here, among the bizarre arches and bridges created by the hands of nature, the Milky Way is better than anywhere else. You don't even need a telescope to see its structure clearly. Natural Bridges National Monument is one of the darkest places in the US. So be sure' the lights big city» will not interfere with admiring the starry sky.

Wiruna (New South Wales, Australia)

Above the eucalyptus forests in New South Wales, the darkest sky in Australia. Here, about 405 square meters are allocated for the study of the starry sky. km of land. The area is owned by the local Astronomical Society, which hosts the South Pacific Star Party every year. Every year up to half a thousand "star" tourists come to stare at this amazing sky.

Tuscany (Italy)

Probably the most popular place in Europe for stargazing. Among the Tuscan hills unearthly beauty astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei first directed the telescope he built into the sky. This Italian region is the best place to observe cosmic phenomena that Galilee was lucky to see for the first time - sunspots, the mountainous surface of the Moon and four satellites of Jupiter (known as the Galilean satellites).

Namibrand Nature Reserve International Reserve (Namibia)

largest nature reserve in Africa, more and more attracts not only safari lovers, but also stargazers from all over the world. At night you will not see anything here - only the sky. Wherever you turn - stars, stars and more stars. A unique 360-degree panorama is worth it to spend the night under the open African sky.
Galloway Forest Park (Scotland, UK)
The sky over Galloway Park is called the darkest in Europe. About 7000 stars and planets are visible here even without a telescope. In addition, the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh organizes group and individual tours for star hunters.

Many shops now have affordable small telescopes. But if you are not among the enthusiasts who are ready to spend all their evenings watching the stars from the balcony of their own apartment or cottage, but you want to look at them, then There are several places in Moscow where you can satisfy your stellar curiosity.

Moscow Planetarium

In the Moscow Planetarium, you can admire celestial bodies not only on the dome of the star halls. In the courtyard of the planetarium there is a sky park and an observatory. In the Sky Park, first opened in 1947 and recently restored, astronomical instruments and tools are installed - sundials of various designs, Hipparchus' star globe and an earth globe designed specifically for this site by Professor Nabokov. Two observatory towers have also been built in the park. In a large observatory there is a 30-cm refractor telescope, through which you can observe the Sun, Moon, planets solar system, as well as behind star clusters. The small observatory is equipped with a 40-cm Ritchey-Chrétien reflecting telescope and equipped with equipment for remote access. For visitors, the observatory is open only on cloudless days, from 11:00 to 19:00, excursions there are held every hour (the last one starts at 18:00). Tickets can be purchased immediately before the start of the tour. During the tour itself, visitors are told about the construction of telescopes and shown the Sun. Evening observations of the sky are usually arranged in September - as part of the international program "100 hours of astronomy".