Located on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona, the @mypubliclands Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is a geologic treasure. Known more for its colorful stone waves, the secret to this monument is the pristine night skies.

Photo by Lawrence Pallant. Photo description: A night sky filled with stars hangs over a plated rocky hill with a lone green pine tree in the middle

“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”― Carl Sagan

The night is illuminated with stars and the Milky Way at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. Photo by Samson Samonte (www.sharetheexperience.org).

‘Tis the season to be jolly in the presence of twinkling lights. Dark winter nights, though cold and long, give us more time with the stars. Or in this case, a chance to witness the captivating sway and shimmer of Aurora Borealis at Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The waves of color come from bursts of solar wind and magnetic fields as they interact with elements in the Earth’s atmosphere. Northern lights happen all year long, but we need darkness to see them. It’s a reminder that we all live in a universe full of bright objects. If you’re going out to photograph or admire the night sky on public lands, dress warmly, check the website for current conditions and be sure to come back and tell us about it! Photograph by Keith Ramos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Check out these helpful astrophotography tips for night owls. 

Where will you be tonight? As a planet, we’ll be smack dab in the middle of a dust cloud. Will you step outside and see if you can spot a meteor or two? Due to the new moon, skies will be especially dark, perfect for watching the Geminid meteor shower! No matter where you live on the globe, you could see upwards of 50 shooting stars in an hour. Want to learn more about the science behind meteor showers? Listen to Haleakalā National Park’s newest podcast Gift of the Geminids. Night sky photo of Haleakalā by Nick Manwill (www.sharetheexperience.org).

Spring wildflowers are lovely even in dim starlight. Between 1841 and 1869, more than 200,000 settlers of European descent traveled from Missouri to central California, lured by gold and farmland. The movement of these pioneers and their animals deeply impacted the Native Americans and wildlife that lived here before. The Nobles Emigrant section of the California National Historic Trail in Nevada is a remote, unpaved corridor with no services that still resembles the landscape of that time. Running past Smoke Creek Canyon and the Skedaddle Mountains, the original trail is still visible in many places. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management.

Spring wildflowers in the west are now blooming further north and at higher in elevation as spring progresses. Here the Milky Way looms above the 9,000 foot peaks of the Granite Range in far northwest Nevada. Arrow-leaf Balsamroot blooming in the foreground were buffeted by winds during this long exposure to create an impressionist look. The Nobles route of the California National Historic Trail passes along the base of the mountains after crossing one of the harshest parts of the journey west through the Black Rock Desert. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management.

The waterfalls and granite cliffs provide endless wonder at Yosemite National Park in California. With scenery sculpted by glaciers carving and smoothing the mountains, Yosemite’s waterfalls flow over the rock cliffs making a moonbow or “lunar rainbow” possible. In the spring and early summer, if the sky is clear and the moon is full, it can produce enough light to create a rainbow from a waterfall’s mist. Just another reason why Yosemite is a magical place. Pic courtesy of Dave Lyons.  

Public lands are some of the best places to enjoy the dark skies. Atop the Cumberland Plateau in Kentucky and Tennessee, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area offers presentations that guide visitors through the night sky, and telescope viewing of stars, planets, nebulae, galaxies and the International Space Station. It’s an out of this world experience! Photo by Josh Bandy, National Park Service.

It’s International Dark Sky Week, and we’re celebrating some of the public lands that are awesome stargazing destinations. Some of the last harbors of dark skies, public lands provide unspoiled views of the stars glittering above. Named the first International Dark Sky Park in 2007, Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah contains three beautiful natural bridges. At night, the bridges form a window into the sky, giving visitors a view of thousands of stars that are bright enough to cast a shadow. Visitors here can see up to 15,000 stars throughout the night. 

Check out more awesome night sky photos: https://on.doi.gov/2qwdV51

Photo of the Milky Way and Owachomo Bridge by Manish Mamtani (www.sharetheexperience.com).

From its rocky coastline to the top of Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park in Maine will take your breath away. Day or night, the sights and sounds of the park give visitors memories they’ll cherish for a lifetime. Famous for sunrise, the park is also a terrific place to enjoy the night sky. Photo of the Milky Way from Little Hunters Beach by Joshua Snow (www.sharetheexperience.org).