Night Sights

ESCAPE INTO THE NIGHT

EMBRACE THE EXQUISITE BEAUTY OF SKY, LAND, AND SEA AFTER THE SUN GOES DOWN.

BY ANDREW COLLINS

FROM VIEWING DISTANT GALAXIES and bioluminescent

seas to taking in city panoramas from rooftop bars and dramatic overlooks, nighttime sightseeing has never been more popular. Here are a few of the most memorable ways to explore the western United States after dark.

STAR POWER

Experience the magic of nighttime by gazing up at the dark sky in a new landscape. Set out for less populated areas, like the tranquil deserts of the Southwest or the rugged shorelines of Northern California, Oregon, and Washington.

On the eastern end of Washington’s Columbia Gorge, from April through September, you can talk with astronomers and view distant space objects through one of the world’s largest public telescopes at Goldendale Observatory State Park (parks. wa.gov/512/goldendale-observatory). Just north of the alpine town of Flagstaff, Arizona, the famed Lowell Observatory (lowell.edu)—where Clyde Tombaugh discovered the dwarf planet Pluto in 1930—offers nightly viewings. And even in the heart of America’s second-largest city, Los Angeles, visitors can behold incredible vistas of our solar system at Griffith Observatory (griffithobservatory.org), the elegant art deco structure immortalized in the classic ’50s coming-of-age drama, Rebel Without a Cause.

Another memorable way to soak up the sky is by booking an expert-led astronomy excursion. In Southern California’s Colorado Desert, Borrego Night Sky Tours (borregonightsky tours.com) allows participants to gaze across the galaxy through an 11-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. Depending on conditions, on an adventure with Sedona Stargazing Evening Sky Tours (eveningskytours.com) in northern Arizona or Elevated Astronomy Tours (astrotours.org) in Boulder, Colorado, you might be fortunate enough to view Saturn, the Milky Way, or the Andromeda Galaxy M31. And on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mauna Kea Summit Adventures (maunakeaobservatories.org) offers an unforgettable sunset and stargazing tour at Mauna Kea Observatory, which sits atop the 13,796-foot summit of a dormant volcano and is home to the world’s largest telescopes.

Mauna Kea Observatory

ENHANCE YOUR STARGAZING EXPERIENCES

by attending an astronomy program or tour. Check out the websites of organizations like the International Dark-Sky Association (darksky.org) and Sky & Telescope (skyandtelescope.org), which offer a wealth of helpful resources.

CAMERA READY

Smartphone technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the past decade, and the camera that came with your iPhone or Android may be all you need to take dazzling images of nighttime cityscapes and even moonlit skies. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your smartphone camera.

Choose your brand carefully.

Among iPhones, the Pro Max is your best bet for sharp nighttime photos, but the more wallet-friendly SE delivers impressive results. Among Android phones, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel are the industry leaders.

Stabilize your camera. Many phone cases come with basic pop-out stands, but you’ll also find bean bags, monopods, and tripods designed expressly for phone cameras.

Get to know your settings.

It’s well worth experimenting with the extensive array of manual settings that come with today’s models, which can allow you to set the ISO, shutter speed, exposure value, focus, and more.

Invest in the right edit-

ing software. In addition to what’s on your phone, download an app like Adobe Lightroom Mobile, Snapseed, or Inshot Polish for retouching. You may find it easier to edit images on your computer, where, in addition to Adobe’s products, you’ll find a slew of other excellent programs, including GIMP, a free and powerful opensource editor.

CITY LIGHTS

EVEN IN URBAN LANDSCAPES, THE EVENING HOURS MAKE FOR GREAT VIEWING. CHECK OUT THESE SCENIC SPOTS ALONG THE WEST COAST.

AERIAL TRAMWAY

Palm Springs, CA After riding a rotating tram car 2.5 miles from the valley floor, admire the twinkling lights of the Coachella Valley from a window seat in elegant Peaks Restaurant, which sits at an elevation of 8,516 feet. pstramway.com

ALTITUDE SKY LOUNGE

San Diego, CA At this swanky 22nd-floor nightclub in the colorful Gaslamp Quarter, you can see San Diego Bay, the airport, and even Padres games in neighboring Petco Park. altitudeskylounge.com/ sandiego

DEPARTURE LOUNGE

Portland, OR In addition to offering sweeping vistas of Oregon’s largest city, this sleek space with a ’60s airport lounge aesthetic serves pan-Asian fare and boasts the city’s largest sake list. departureportland.com

DOBBINS LOOKOUT

Phoenix, AZ Drive or hike to this 2,330-foot perch atop South Mountain to watch the sunset over the bustling desert metropolis. phoenix.gov/parks/ trails/locations/ south-mountain

ENSIGN PEAK

Salt Lake City, UT Bring a flashlight after dark for the moderately uphill half-mile hike to this promontory that overlooks downtown, the Utah State Capitol dome, and the vast Salt Lake Valley. utah.com

54THIRTY

Denver, CO Arrive at this contemporary 20th-floor rooftop bar in time for sunset over the snowcapped Rocky Mountains, then stick around for the grand vistas of the surrounding skyscrapers. 54thirty.com

PERCH

Los Angeles, CA Enjoy refined modern French fare and a stellar wine list from this glamorous landscaped terrace atop downtown’s striking 1924 Pershing Square Building. perchla.com

SKYPOD

Las Vegas, NV The dazzling neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip look incredible from the country’s highest (at 1,149 feet) freestanding observation tower. thestrat. com/attractions/skypod

SKY VIEW OBSERVATORY

Seattle, WA This 73rd-floor deck and bar is the most dramatic space for gazing at Seattle’s vibrant skyline—you also get an impressive view of the retro- futuristic Space Needle, which is nearly 300 feet shorter. skyviewobservatory.com

MARIN HEADLANDS

San Francisco, CA To experience the most breathtaking nighttime views of the fabled City by the Bay, with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge directly in front of you, drive to the dramatic observation areas situated atop this hilly peninsula in Marin County. nps.gov/goga/marin-headlands.htm

Hill's Resort, Priest Lake, Idaho

SPACE ODDITY

Marvel at the northern lights, or aurora borealis, a brilliantly eerie light display that result from solar wind, from a dark location in a high altitude. The Arctic Circle provides the best views, but in the northern United States you can increase your odds by heading to the darkest possible skies in late fall/ early winter. Check the forecast for a local KP index—the measurement of geomagnetic activity in the atmosphere—of 4 or higher.

THREE GREAT PLACES TO VIEW THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK

This expanse of glaciers and jagged mountain peaks in northern Washington has several popular viewing points, including the upper shore of Lake Chelan; Artist’s Point near Mount Baker; and the overlooks at Diablo Lake, Washington Pass, and Cascade Pass. nps.gov/noca

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

An excellent choice thanks to its northern Montana location and lack of light pollution, Glacier offers especially dramatic views from the shores of Lake McDonald as well as Bowman and Kintla Lakes. The park also offers ranger- led night programs, including star parties at Logan Pass. nps.gov/glac

HILL’S RESORT

With cabins, a beach, and a storied setting on Priest Lake in northern Idaho’s panhandle, this rustic retreat is one of the country’s most reliable viewing areas. hillsresort.com

LOOK UP For more star party info, visit go-astronomy.com/star- parties

The Grand Canyon

NIGHT RANGER

For exploring nature at night,

many of the West’s national parks are a perfect fit, and their rangers are there to help. At the confluence of the Mojave and the Colorado deserts, Southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park (nps.gov/jotr) partners with nearby Sky’s the Limit Observatory to offer fascinating astronomy programs. At Bryce Canyon National Park (nps.gov/ brca) in Utah, rangers lead monthly full-moon hikes amid the landscape’s lunarlike rock formations. And at the Grand Canyon (nps.gov/grca), evening ranger programs include campfire talks about the park’s geological and human history to narrated strolls along the canyon rim or through historic Pioneer Cemetery.

STAR PARTY

Many national parks, and a handful of state parks and other areas, host stargazing festivals throughout the year. Here are some favorites coming up this summer and fall.

LATE JULY Oregon Star Party in Prineville, Oregon LATE JULY Table Mountain Star Party in Oroville, Washington LATE JULY–EARLY AUG Lassen Volcanic National Park Dark Sky Festival, California LATE SEPT Bruneau Dunes State Park Idaho Star Party, Idaho LATE SEPT Great Basin National Park Astronomy Festival, Nevada LATE SEPT Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Dark Sky Festival, California EARLY OCT Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Astronomy Festival, Colorado

NEON WAVES

If you’ve ever stood on the beach at night and detected an unmistakable blue glow in the crashing surf, you’ve likely encountered bioluminescence, a chemical reaction that occurs when miniscule sea plankton called dinoflagellates are agitated by churning waves or fish activity. While it’s impossible to predict exactly when this glow will occur, it can happen anywhere along the Pacific Coast. You’re most likely to see this a couple of hours after sunset, on warm nights, and coinciding with a new moon.

A few companies feature evening kayak tours geared specifically toward viewing bioluminescence. In Washington’s scenic San Juan Islands, both Sea Quest Expeditions (sea-quest-kayak.com) and Discovery Sea Kayaks (discoveryseakayak.com) offer bioluminescence paddles, typically on the darkest evenings from spring through summer. And around Point Reyes National Seashore, up the coast from San Francisco, Blue Waters Kayaking (bluewaterskayaking.com) offers bioluminescence excursions on the calm waters of Tomales Bay.

MOON SHINE

One of the most memorable sights—and enduring photo ops—after the sun has set is the moon refl ecting o rippling water. Wanderlust Tours (wanderlusttours.com) organizes full-moon canoe treks on tranquil Cascade Lakes near Bend in Central Oregon. Just across the bay from San Francisco, with Sea Trek (seatrek.com) you can paddle a kayak in the moonlight along Sausalito’s colorful waterfront, taking in vistas of the city’s dramatic skyline. And at the tip of Mexico’s Baja California, several companies around Cabo San Lucas o er stunning sunset sails, including Cabo Adventures (cabo-adventures.com) and Cabo Sailing Ocean Adventures (cabosailing.com).

HOT ROCKS

THERE MAY NOT BE A MORE EYE-POPPING

EXPERIENCE than the bright orange glow produced by an active lava fl ow. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (nps.gov/ havo), on Hawaii Island (a.k.a. the Big Island), is one of the world’s best places to observe lava fl owing in an active volcano. From the park’s central Kilauea section, you can often see plumes of yellow- and orange-illuminated steam rising from Halemaumau Crater at all hours of the night. Some of the best viewing is from Keanakakoi Overlook and from the lobby or dining room of the historic Volcano House hotel. The park and several tour companies also o er guided evening lava-viewing treks, and while available only during the day, a helicopter tour is another memorable way to view lava.