No matter where in the world you are, the wonders of the night sky remain a sight to behold. Chasing after astronomical events from the comfort of earth is also a trend that's rising in the travel world, and what better reason to travel than to see the beauty of the celestial? From total eclipses shadowing the United States to meteor showers taking over the skies of the Southern Hemisphere, a bunch of astronomical events in 2024 are set to hold your gaze.
Don't forget to embark on your journeys with the right equipment; and learn about how state-protected dark skies could change astrotourism forever. Of course, pursuing the stars means going out to remote places where you can see them, away from modern light pollution—from the Atacama Desert in Chile to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah—so even if the clouds roll in, you'll be experiencing a sublime terrestrial landscape too.
Here’s a calendar for you to save for some successful nights of stargazing.
A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller India.
The penumbra is formed when the sun, moon, and Earth are partially aligned, and Earth obstructs the sun's light to cover part of the moon in its shadow. The penumbral lunar eclipse is a rare occurrence, but avid astronomers can view it in March this year. The eclipse will be visible in most places, like much of Europe, North and East Asia, North America, South America, the Arctic and Antarctica.
According to Space.com, the penumbral eclipse will begin at 12:53 a.m. EDT (04:53 GMT). It will reach its maximum stage a few hours later at 3:12 a.m. EDT (07:12 GMT), and end at 5:32 a.m. EDT (09:32 GMT), lasting roughly four and a half hours.
The moon will completely cover the sun in a total solar eclipse that will be visible from North America and pass over Mexico and Canada. When the moon passes between the sun and the earth, the sky darkens as the face of the sun is blocked entirely. The atmosphere becomes dusky, however, and for those planning to look up at the sky, proper equipment is essential lest you hurt your eyes. It will be the last total solar eclipse to hit the US for two decades, so it's definitely something to put on your travel list this year.
The bright Lyrid meteor shower is known to leave behind dusky trails that glow for several seconds after they've passed. This year, the event peaks on April 22, according to Space.com. With the shower peaking on a full moon night this year, viewing could get affected, so try finding a dark spot with clear skies for the best viewing. These meteors appear to originate from the constellation of Lyra, with its radiant point placed up north on the sky’s dome, giving the event its name. This means that gazers in the Southern Hemisphere
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Indianapolis is the most-booked destination across all of North America on Airbnb for April 8’s total solar eclipse, according to the online homestay marketplace. However, over 45% of listings on the platform are still available to book in “Circle City,” and 40% are available across the path of totality in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Accurate weather forecasts for the path of totality on April 8 won’t be available until a few days before, but scientists have confirmed that cumulus clouds over land begin to disappear almost instantly when a partial solar eclipse begins.
Southwest Airlines and Omni Hotels & Resorts are teaming up to offer a special "Solarbration" sweepstakes ahead of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.The sweepstakes—which can be entered now through March 11—will reward two lucky winners with a prize package that includes air travel on a flight predicted to be in the direct path of the eclipse.The flight options include Southwest Flight 1252, which departs Dallas (Love Field) at 12:40 p.m. CT for Pittsburgh, and Southwest Flight 1721, which departs Austin at 12:55 p.m. CT for Indianapolis.Omni will do its part by putting the winners up in custom-designed guest rooms inspired by the celestial event. The special accommodations will be located at Omni Hotels in the departure cities of Dallas and Austin and the arrival cities of Pittsburgh and Indianapolis.In addition to roundtrip flights and accommodations for two nights, winners will receive exclusive solar eclipse viewing glasses and fun inflight experiences aboard their eclipse flights.
On April 8, the moon will pass directly before the sun, darkening the afternoon sky with a rare, total solar eclipse. For those along the path of totality, the solar eclipse will last around four minutes. With so many people clamoring to see this rare celestial spectacle, you'll need a plan if you want to be among them.
Delta Air Lines added a second flight to view the total solar eclipse from 30,000 feet after the first flight the airline announced sold out in less than 24 hours.
Many astronomy events will grace the sky this year, but the total solar eclipse is hands down the highlight for those even marginally interested in celestial happenings. On April 8, 2024, the total solar eclipse will cross North America, and many are trying to get in on the action (though the options for where to stay along the path of totality is already limited).
Solar eclipses are rare events. North America, however, has been blessed with two in quick succession: one in 2017, and another that will happen on April 8, 2024. The first stopped people across the country who sat in awe in the path of totality. The latter will be even more accessible for people in the United States, with a long stretch of totality from the Southwest to New England.
In 42 days, a total solar eclipse will visit North America, throwing parts of Mexico, 15 U.S. states, and Canada into darkness for a few minutes during the day.
Alaska Airlines is making it easier to see April’s epic solar eclipse with a series of flights heading to destinations along the path of totality — and they're selling out. The specific routes, which fly to places like Mazatlán, Mexico, Texas, and Ohio, have seen a threefold increase in demand compared to previous years, Alaska Airlines shared with Travel + Leisure. And that increased demand has led to increasingly sold-out flights.
For basic information about how, when and where to experience North America’s total solar eclipse and why you must try to get yourself to the path of totality on April 8, check my main feed .