Night Sky Tourist

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 VIE...

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 Nigh...

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 ep...

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...

There are so many anecdotes about how stargazing has helped people cope with their mental health afflictions, including anxiety and depression. The Office of Astronomy for Development in South Africa is now working on studies to discover the science behind those personal stories. Joyful Mdhluli shares about the work that’s being done and gives some tips on how to turn an ordinary stargazing experi...

Twilight is a magical time of day as the light slowly fades from the sky. There is so much more happening than what meets the eye, so in this episode, we’re getting a backstage pass to find out what’s happening. Kendra Penry, the Executive Director of Stokes Nature Center in Logan, Utah, is our guide, and Jason Gray shares poetry that belongs to the twilight world. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/106  ...

In this episode, I take you to the trails where I lead stargazing hikes in an interview with Janice Holden, co-chair of the Sonoran Conservancy of Fountain Hills. You’ll also get some great tips for planning your own stargazing or Full Moon hike wherever you live or camp. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/10 5 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 105: Sonoran Conserv...

Annabel Abbs-Streets shares about her new book Sleepless: Unleashing the Subversive Power of the Night Self . Our conversation will give you a new way of thinking about the night and what it means to be in it under the stars. Over and over, Annabel invites us to find our place in the night in brand new ways. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/104 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LIN...

Travis Novitsky is a lifelong resident of the Grand Portage Anishinaabe Nation. He’s a self-taught nature and wildlife photographer whose work focuses primarily on his native homelands in northeast Minnesota. In this episode, he shares about his relationship with the night sky and what his cultural astronomy means to him.  Visit NightSkyTourist.com/103 for more information about this episode. CHEC...

Moths are far from the furry, dusty, scary things we’ve imagined. With over 10,000 species of them in North America alone, they come in all colors and sizes, and they do the important work of pollinating during the night shift. Dr. Richard Fox, the Head of Science at the UK’s Butterfly Conservation, joins us to talk about these incredible insects. I also share some fun activities you can do to get...

Idaho has a new and super fun International Dark Sky Park at Bruneau Dunes State Park. Greg Harman, the park’s Astronomy Ranger, joins me to share about the great stargazing amenities and events and the best times of the year to visit. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/101 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 101: Bruneau Dunes State Park: https://parksandrecreation....

This episode is a celebration of reaching our 100-episode milestone. My husband, Mark Derksen, interviewed me, and some of our past guests and fans of the podcast shared some special messages. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/100 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 100: Dirk’s Electric: https://dirkselectric.com/ Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association: https://fhdarks...

What is nocturnalia? I chat with Charles Hood, who coined the word as a celebration of the night, about how to diminish our fear of the dark, how to pique your curiosity about nature around you, and how to take your stargazing experience to a new level of sensory awareness. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/99 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 99: Nocturnalia: Nat...

Carl Gawboy shares his Ojibwe star culture, growing up Ojibwe in northern Minnesota, and his remarkable pictograph discoveries at Hegman Lake. These pictographs depict Ojibwe constellations, and Carl shares how the stories he heard from his father as a child helped him crack the code. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/98 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 98: Nativ...

National Road Trip Day is just around the corner, and Steven Hileman chats with me about the powerful app called Roadtrippers. He shares some great tips for planning a road trip to those extraordinary dark sky locations and finding those hidden gems along the way. He also offers a discount code for listeners to enjoy the Premium version of the app. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/97 for more information...

In this episode, we travel to Vancouver, British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada. I chatted with Robert Conrad, president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in Vancouver, to learn about some great ways to enjoy the night sky. I also share some super fun nighttime activities for those cloudy nights. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/96 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE...

Take a journey with me to the world’s newest certified International Dark Sky Sanctuary in Michigan. I chatted with Cynthia Johnson from Beaver Island State Wildlife Research Area located in northern Lake Michigan. Find out how to plan a trip to this remote location where you’ll find some of the darkest skies in the world and a chance to see the Northern Lights if you’re lucky. Visit NightSkyTouri...

This episode is a continuation of Episode 93 where I interviewed Linda Åkeson McGurk about her book The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day. Here, I take you on a star tour by telling you a story of how I discovered something new in the night sky while taking time to experience the transition of twilight. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/94 for more informat...

Linda Åkeson McGurk is the author of two books: There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids and The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day. Linda is a Swedish American writer who passionately advocates for the Nordic outdoor tradition called friluftsliv . She’s written two books, w...

In this episode, I invite you to the place where I live in Fountain Hills, Arizona. I’ve invited five guests to help me show you around our International Dark Sky Community. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/92 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 92: Town of Fountain Hills: https://fountainhillsaz.gov/   Smithsonian’s “Lights Out” exhibit: https://naturalhistory.si....

Ted Blank, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, chats with me about some astronomy questions rolling around in my head. I ask him some fun stuff about the Sun, our Moon, Mars, and two of Jupiter’s moons that have some crazy features. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/91 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 91: Spring Equinox Sunrise Hike: https://nightskytourist.com/event...

Jo Marchant is the author of Human Cosmos: Civilization and the Stars , a spectacular book about humanity’s relationship with the night sky for thousands of years. Her writing explores the nature of humanity and our universe, from the mind-body connection to the mysteries of past civilizations and the awesome power of the night sky. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/90 for more information about this epis...

Taurus is straight up overhead in February, and it’s full of fun little surprises. There are also some great cultural star stories related to it that I share in this episode. Get ready for some fun stargazing and storytelling. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/89 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 89: “7 Tips for Stargazing with Grandparents”, a Night Sky Tourist b...

We often equate myths with fiction. I’m going to introduce you to a new perspective by showing you how scientific knowledge was often embedded in ancient star stories. Star stories were more than just children’s fables to entertain the family around the campfire at night.  Visit NightSkyTourist.com/88 for more information about this episode. CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FROM EPISODE 88: Full Moon Fitness...

In this episode, I introduce you to a really important but tiny group of stars in the Winter sky called the Pleiades. Many people mistake it as the Little Dipper, but it’s actually a really cool star cluster that has a lot of significance for cultures all around the world. You’ll get to hear several cultural stories of this little group. Visit NightSkyTourist.com/87 for more information about this...