Skip to main content

Articles

Dark sky travel stories and planning essays (Page 12)

Long-form pieces I write on aurora science, astrophotography how-tos, destination deep-dives, and practical planning essays for dark-sky trips.

Traveler checking a phone weather app on a dune crest above Merzouga's Erg Chebbi at dusk, watching for a Chergui haze while planning a Merzouga stargazing forecast

Merzouga Stargazing Forecast: How to Check Sky Clarity

Maya Okonkwo 7 min read

Merzouga has no dedicated stargazing forecast app. Here's how season, Chergui wind timing, moon phase, and a worldwide cloud tool predict a clear Sahara sky.

Read
Sandboarders descending an Erg Chebbi dune near Merzouga at golden hour, illustrating things to do in Merzouga beyond stargazing

Things to Do in Merzouga Beyond Stargazing

Maya Okonkwo 4 min read

Sandboard Erg Chebbi's dunes, hear Khamlia's own Gnawa music tradition, and catch Rissani's Sunday souk: daytime plans for a Merzouga stargazing trip.

Read
Wide-angle photo of the tall dune above Merzouga at dusk, the Milky Way beginning to emerge over Erg Chebbi's sand as a lone figure climbs, illustrating the best stargazing spots in Merzouga, Morocco

Best Stargazing Spots in Merzouga: Where to Look Up

Maya Okonkwo Updated 7 min read

Merzouga has four real stargazing viewpoints: the walkable village edge, quieter Hassi Labied, a sunset-climb dune, and deep-erg camel camps past the lights.

Read
Milky Way core rising above Erg Chebbi's tall Sahara dunes near Merzouga at night, showing the best time to stargaze in Merzouga

Best Time to Stargaze in Merzouga: Season by Season

Maya Okonkwo Updated 6 min read

Merzouga's Sahara sky stays dark all year, but summer daytime heat above 40°C and cold desert nights make season and moon phase the real planning decision.

Read
Joshua Tree astrophotography gear: a camera and tripod silhouette framing a joshua tree and granite boulders against the Milky Way core, a star-filled desert sky overhead

Joshua Tree Astrophotography Gear: Camera, Lens & Tripod

Maya Okonkwo Updated 9 min read

Camera, lens, and tripod picks for Joshua Tree's Bortle 2 sky: wide apertures for the Milky Way, boulder foregrounds, cold nights, and dew-proofing your lens.

Read
Joshua Tree dark sky certification landscape at night, boulder formations and Joshua trees silhouetted under a dense Milky Way with a faint glow of distant city lights on the horizon

Joshua Tree Dark Sky Certification, Explained

Maya Okonkwo Updated 6 min read

Joshua Tree earned Silver Tier International Dark Sky Park status in 2017, a harder win this close to Los Angeles and Palm Springs than in any remote park.

Read
A stargazer in layered clothing scans the night sky with binoculars beside Joshua Tree's boulder formations and namesake trees, illustrating a Joshua Tree stargazing packing list for desert day-to-night extremes

Joshua Tree Stargazing Packing List for a Desert Night

Maya Okonkwo Updated 8 min read

Joshua Tree bakes under the sun and turns cold fast after dark. The park sells no gas, food, or water past the gate. Here's what goes in a stargazing pack.

Read
Smartphone on a small tripod among boulders in Joshua Tree National Park at night, demonstrating Joshua Tree smartphone stargazing photography as the Milky Way arcs above a Joshua tree silhouette

Joshua Tree Smartphone Stargazing Photography Guide

Maya Okonkwo 8 min read

Joshua Tree's Milky Way is bright enough for a smartphone: Night mode or Astrophotography mode, a cheap tripod, manual focus, and cold-night battery care.

Read
Split dusk composite of Joshua Tree's boulder-strewn desert under a Silver-tier starry sky beside Big Bend's Chisos Mountains and Rio Grande under the darkest sky in the Lower 48, illustrating Joshua Tree vs Big Bend stargazing

Joshua Tree vs Big Bend Stargazing: Convenience or Dark Sky

Maya Okonkwo Updated 7 min read

Joshua Tree gives you an easy LA or Coachella weekend, but real light domes creep in. Big Bend gives you the darkest sky in the Lower 48, if you can reach it.

Read
Two-lane desert highway approaching Joshua Tree National Park's West Entrance at dusk, the route most drivers take when getting to Joshua Tree from Los Angeles and Palm Springs

Getting to Joshua Tree: Drives, Airports, Entrances

Maya Okonkwo Updated 6 min read

Joshua Tree has no train, bus, or airport. Here's how to drive from LA, Palm Springs, San Diego, or Las Vegas, and which of the three entrances to use.

Read
Milky Way rising over Joshua Tree's boulders at night, showing how many days in Joshua Tree are worth planning for a stargazing trip

How Many Days in Joshua Tree for Stargazing? 1 Night or 3?

Maya Okonkwo Updated 7 min read

One clear night covers Joshua Tree's Milky Way on a quick LA or Palm Springs weekend; two to three nights add a moon-phase buffer and desert-hike time.

Read
Is Joshua Tree worth it for stargazing? A boulder-strewn desert night sky glowing faintly with distant city light beyond dark Joshua tree silhouettes

Is Joshua Tree Worth It for Stargazing? The Honest Take

Maya Okonkwo Updated 9 min read

Joshua Tree offers real Silver Tier dark skies just two hours from LA, but light pollution and Keys View crowds are honest trade-offs worth knowing first.

Read