It's Worth Getting up Early For

Planetary Alignment—That's Your Assignment

International Dark Sky Week is officially upon us, and there are a wealth of recent items that make this year's iteration an especially eventful one.

My Dark Sky Week began in southeastern Utah, where I joined a whitewater rafting trip through the rapid-laden Westwater Canyon. It’s generally hard to beat stargazing in the desert, but camping under a night sky supplemented by towering sentinels of Vishnu schist and sandstone—not to mention a thunderous white-noise soundtrack courtesy of the Colorado River—belongs in its own category.

Stargazing during the trip was made even more special due to a heavenly show on display now through the end of the month. Up on the canyon rim, the approaching sun still hours away, the sky slowly unveiled the alignment of Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn.

It is a planetary exception that will culminate April 30 and May 1 with Venus and Jupiter, the brightest planets in our sky, moving into close conjunction, a phenomenon in which two worlds appear to overlap—one reminiscent of the 2020 grand conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter.

For the best chance to witness the spectacle, venture out about an hour before daybreak and look east in the direction of the sunrise. April 27 may yield the best views, when a waning moon will position directly beneath Venus and Jupiter.

Courtesy of the National Park Service

Planetary glare from the two dazzling planets, meanwhile, may be intense enough to make distinguishing the two with the naked eye a challenge—nothing a little technological magnification can't fix.

We recently threw together a roundup of some of our favorite night sky-capable binoculars, some of which are strong enough to make out Jupiter’s atmospheric bands and its four largest moons. Grab a pair from our list here and head to a campsite in a designated dark sky area to really stretch your stargazing legs.

And if you’re unsure what destinations boast some of our country’s best night skies, we’ve got you covered there, too. Collaborating with our friends over at Hipcamp, one of the most comprehensive resources for booking tent camping, RV parks, cabins, treehouses, and glamping, we pieced together a list of what we consider some of the best dark sky campsites in the West. Check out the list here.

If you miss this month's show for any reason, don’t worry just yet—you’ll have a chance to witness an enhanced rerun only months later.

Toward the end of June and into early July, Mercury and Neptune will join the planetary dance across the early morning sky. So, get your binoculars and telescopes ready and set your most obnoxiously rousing alarm tone. A summer full of extraterrestrial excitement is just around the corner.

Until next time.

"The farther one gets into the wilderness, the greater is the attraction of its lonely freedom." —Theodore Roosevelt

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Dispatches from WildLands

Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn Are Aligning—Here's How to See Them

Plan Your Stargazing Road Trip Across the West with These Dark Sky Routes

Next-Level Stargazing at These Dark Sky Campsites

Take Your Stargazing up a Notch with These High-Powered Binoculars

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