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PODCAST

Night Sky Tourist

Discover the wonder of the night sky from your own backyard, travel to a dark sky location, and listen to the star stories of other cultures and civilizations. Night Sky Tourist helps the entire family connect with nature by engaging with the stars, moon, and planets.

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

00:42:38

127- Biking Across the Bortle Scale in the Wild Dark...

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/08/12

Award-winning author Craig Childs joins me to chat about his brand new book, The Wild Dark: Finding the Night Sky in the Age of Light. We talk about his adventure of biking across the Bortle Scale from the blindingly bright Las Vegas Strip to the darkest night of the Great Basin of Nevada. He shares his thoughts about what the night would look like if we inhabited a lone solar system floating between galaxies, how ancient cultures anchored the night sky to their local landscape, and why light at

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00:53:18

126- Place-Based Cross-Quarter Day Celebrations with...

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/07/30

Tired of living disconnected from nature's rhythms while racing through an endless calendar of obligations? This episode explores how Cross-Quarter Days—the forgotten midpoints between solstices and equinoxes—can transform your year from four rushed seasons into eight meaningful moments of pause and reflection. Rather than borrowing ancient Celtic traditions that don't match your local landscape, discover how to create place-based celebrations anchored to what's actually happening in

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00:20:48

125- Scorpions, Scorpius & Summer Star Stories

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/07/08

Scorpius dominates the summer night skies and captures the imagination of people around the world. The red “heart of the scorpion,” Antares, twinkles brightly, and a nearby star cluster is visible to the naked eye from dark locations. Meanwhile, summer is scorpion season on the ground, creating a perfect anchor between the night sky and the land. But not all cultures see a scorpion. I’ll take you to the Polynesian culture to introduce you to the connection between the demigod Maui and the

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00:23:27

124- Kosmos Stargazing Resort & Spa in Colorado

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/06/25

Astrotourism is barreling through the tourism industry like a freight train, and one visionary, Gamal Jadue Zalaqett, has brought his dream for the Kosmos Stargazing Resort & Spa to life in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. Located just south of Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, these luxury domes, stargazing park, spa, and observatory are the perfect complement for those looking to connect with nature and see pristine night skies. LINKS FROM EPISODE 124:2025 Stargazing Guide (FREE

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00:29:46

123- How One Revolutionary Tent is Transforming...

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/05/26

There’s a new tent that's flipping the stargazing experience for campers on its head. Joe Bissonnette, the creator of this extraordinary tent, shares his expert tips for finding the best dark sky locations for camping, choosing the right lighting for nighttime camping without disrupting your night vision, and explains what makes Sky View Tents completely different from every other tent on the market. With their breakthrough see-through mesh technology, Sky View Tents let campers sleep directly

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00:34:19

122- Stargazing River Rafting with Tom Beckett

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/04/29

Take your next stargazing adventure to another level with stargazing river rafting. Tom Beckett shares what it’s like to stargaze from the canyons after a day spent on the river. As a river guide with Holiday River Expeditions, Tom introduces rafters to the wonders of the night sky with cultural star stories far from light pollution. LINKS FROM EPISODE 122:2025 Stargazing Guide (FREE download): https://nightskytourist.com/guide/ Holiday River Expeditions: https://www.bikeraft.com/ “8 Essential

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00:29:27

121- Nevada's Park to Park in the Dark Highway with...

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/04/14

Nevada probably has more land under pristine dark skies than any other state. And if you love an epic road trip, you’ll want to get your map and pack your bags for the Park to Park in the Dark Highway. In this episode, I chat with Liz Woolsey, owner of Stargazer Inn in Baker, Nevada, to chat about this stargazer’s wonderland and how you can get the most out of your trip along this route.LINKS FROM EPISODE 121:2025 Stargazing Guide (FREE download): https://nightskytourist.com/guide/ Custom Road Trip

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00:16:37

120- 7 Surprising Urban Astrotourism Experiences

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/04/01

Think you need to escape the city to connect with the cosmos? Think again! In this week's episode, I reveal seven unexpected ways to experience the night sky and astronomy while visiting urban destinations across North America.From touching billion-year-old meteorites to standing underneath a space shuttle that left our atmosphere and returned, these urban astrotourism experiences prove that cosmic wonders are hiding in plain sight—even in our most light-polluted cities.Whether you're

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00:30:54

119- 100 Nights of a Lifetime with Stephanie Vermillion

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/03/18

In this episode, I welcome travel journalist Stephanie Vermillion to discuss her captivating new National Geographic book, 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Adventures After Dark. Stephanie's work takes us beyond traditional stargazing to explore extraordinary nocturnal adventures across cultures—from Viking-style midwinter bonfires in Scotland to the ethereal beauty of Petra by candlelight and traditional Japanese moon-viewing celebrations. With features in Travel + Leisure,

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00:35:52

118- Dark Skies & Wise Owl Eyes with Ranger Amy Burnett

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/03/04

Ranger Amy Burnett returns to the podcast so we can explore the world of owls in their world of natural darkness. We talk about how our other senses heighten when stargazing, the diverse calls of different owl species, and why owls are threatened by increasing light pollution. Amy shares tips for the best times of year to listen for owls and how the phases of the moon guide their behavior.Whether you're an astronomy enthusiast, a wildlife lover, or simply curious about the natural world after

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00:22:19

117: Starlight Slopes: Night Skiing in Utah

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/02/28

Embark on a thrilling journey to the slopes of Utah in this episode of Night Sky Tourist. Join us as we explore the magical experience of night skiing with special guest Amber Palmer, the creative marketing mind behind Brian Head Resort and an avid skier and mountain climber. Discover how this unexpected mountain paradise, sitting at 10,000 feet elevation just minutes from Cedar Breaks National Monument, offers the unique opportunity to carve through fresh powder under a canopy of stars. Amber

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00:26:28

116- Tucson's Astro Trail with Cindy Aguilar

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/02/11

The city of Tucson, Arizona, recently launched a new program for residents and tourists called the Astro Trail. You might not think you can stargaze in a city of a million people, but Tucson isn’t your typical metropolis. This is a city that takes its night sky seriously without compromising the quality of life. Arizona is affectionately known as the Astronomy State, and Tucson sits right at its heart. In this episode, Cindy Aguilar from Visit Tucson joins me to give us the scoop on the new Astro

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00:33:34

115- Backstage Pass to the Moon & Parade of Planets

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/01/28

From moving tides to mysterious red shadows, the Moon's influence on Earth and humanity runs deep. Join my conversation with NASA Solar System Ambassador Scott Grzybowski for an insider's look at our celestial companion, exploring everything from ancient lunar mysteries to the science behind blood moons and supermoons. Then, step outside for a guided tour of an extraordinary celestial event as we navigate the current Parade of Planets stretching across our winter sky.Visit NightSkyTourist.com/115

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00:36:56

114- Highway 89: Big News for America's Starlight...

Night Sky Tourist ·

2025/01/16

I’m officially naming Highway 89, from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada, America’s Starlight Highway. And with the two big announcements I make in this episode, you’ll agree that I’m uniquely qualified to give it that title. I’m joined by James Cowlin to talk about a website he started years ago called USroute89.com. This episode is as much a celebration of two incredible bits of news as it is an inspiration for your future road trips.Visit NightSkyTourist.com/114 for more information

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00:45:26

113- The Stargazer's Mind: The Psychology of Looking...

Night Sky Tourist ·

2024/12/31

Something happens when you look up at a starry night sky. Most people have a change in their emotions, sense of well-being, and even their physical state. Dr. Christopher Barnes, a psychologist in the UK, shares some fascinating studies around the theory of nature connectedness, and we chat about the psychological changes that happen when someone spends time under the stars. I also take you on a tour to the family star cluster, the Pleiades.Visit NightSkyTourist.com/113 for more information about

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00:51:17

112- Winter Solstice 2024

Night Sky Tourist ·

2024/12/17

Winter Solstice has been a significant time of year across cultures for thousands of year. In this episode, we check out some little-known archaeoastronomy sites across the United States that have alignments with the Winter Solstice, chat with Tacy Quinn and Lauren Theis about their 15 Weeks of Friluftsliv for some tips for getting the most enjoyment out of our winter stargazing experiences, and take a tour across the winter night sky to identify constellations and planets that you can see with the

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00:28:45

111- Wish Upon a Star: Meteor Showers with Ted Blank

Night Sky Tourist ·

2024/12/03

There’s a lot of hype around meteor showers, but sometimes you can feel disappointed after waiting and seeing nothing. Ted Blank, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, shares with us about what we see when we see a shooting star and the best times of year to see them to get the most bang for our stargazing buck.Visit NightSkyTourist.com/111 for more information about this episode. GET $50 OFF A SKY VIEW TENT: Visit Sky View Tents (https://skyviewtents.com/) and use promo code “nightskytourist” when you

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00:40:14

110- Tumacácori National Historical Park

Night Sky Tourist ·

2024/11/19

Tumacácori National Historical Park in southern Arizona is an International Dark Sky Park where you can walk among blinking fireflies in the mesquite bosque. The park’s biologist, Tony Palmer, joins us to share about these magical insects, the other surprising bioluminescent species discovered during a Full Moon hike, and other nighttime events at the park, including Dia de los Muertos.Visit NightSkyTourist.com/110 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE

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00:47:18

109- Dinosaur Tracks, Constellations & Homo Sapiens...

Night Sky Tourist ·

2024/11/05

Bettymaya Foott is an astrophotographer and the Engagement Associate for DarkSky International. In this episode, we dive into a fascinating conversation about a photo she took with dinosaur tracks, the Milky Way, and herself. She also shares tangible ways that major satellites and light pollution have impacted indigenous cultures. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/109 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 109: Bettymaya Foott:

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00:45:58

108- Ancient Nights at Cedar Breaks National Monument...

Night Sky Tourist ·

2024/10/22

Cedar Breaks National Monument is a true hidden gem in Southern Utah. At over 10,000 feet, this International Dark Sky Park is perfect for undisturbed stargazing. Matthias Schmitt leads the night sky programs at Cedar Breaks and shares what makes this place so special. His passion for the stars spills into astronomy outreach and events, STEM education opportunities, and taking people on a journey to the stars. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/108 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT

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127 results

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