STARGAZING

Montana is known for its big skies during the day and stellar stargazing opportunities at night. Nothing compares to the moment you first see, with your naked eye, the billions of stars that make up the Milky Way. Because of light pollution, less than 500 stars are visible in urban areas. This means, the farther from city lights, the greater the view. Eastern Montana’s largely rural area provides the perfect backdrop to watch the stars come out.

Stargazing presents magnificent year-round opportunities, and, in fact, some of the best stargazing is done during crisp, cold nights when skies are exceptionally clear. With a fair bit of luck and some planning with an aurora borealis forecast, you might witness the northern lights, one of the most spectacular sights on earth.

For a complete listing and map of stargazing destinations in Eastern Montana, visit Montana’s Trail to the Stars at TrailToTheStars.com.

PRISTINE NIGHT SKY DESTINATIONS

 Medicine Rocks State Park, International Dark-Sky Sanctuary

 Terry Badlands Wilderness Overlook

 Acton Recreation Area