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Dark sky travel stories and planning essays (Page 20)

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

Small propeller aircraft beside a modern terminal at AlUla International Airport at golden hour, sandstone desert cliffs framing the runway, illustrating how to get to AlUla Saudi Arabia by air and road

How to Get to AlUla, Saudi Arabia: Flights & Visa

Maya Okonkwo Updated 5 min read

AlUla's own airport runs a thin, seasonal international schedule. The honest way in: via Dubai, Doha, or a four-hour drive from Medina, plus visa basics.

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Photorealistic dusk view of a Nabataean tomb facade at Hegra with a desert campfire dinner scene in the foreground, illustrating how many days in AlUla for stargazing trips need to balance heritage-site touring with night-sky evenings

How Many Days in AlUla for Stargazing?

Maya Okonkwo Updated 6 min read

AlUla's guided-access model decides your trip length: three nights covers Hegra and one stargazing night, five adds a weather-backup evening and Old Town.

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Sun-lit view of Maraya's mirrored exterior reflecting AlUla's sandstone cliffs, illustrating what to do in AlUla beyond stargazing during the day

What to Do in AlUla Beyond Stargazing

Maya Okonkwo Updated 7 min read

Elephant Rock at sunset, Maraya's mirrored concert hall, and AlUla Old Town fill daylight hours between stargazing nights; Wadi AlFann isn't open until 2028.

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Photorealistic wide-angle astrophotography setup on a red sand dune in NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia, camera on a tripod framing the Milky Way's galactic core over a dune ridge silhouette, astrophotography gear for NamibRand

Astrophotography Gear for NamibRand: Camera, Lens, Dust

Maya Okonkwo 8 min read

The camera, lens, and tripod for NamibRand's Gold Tier desert sky: dune-foreground framing, taming wind on loose sand, and keeping dust out of your gear.

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Nabataean tomb facade at Hegra glowing under a star-filled desert sky at dusk, the cool-season light marking the best time for stargazing in AlUla

Best Time for Stargazing in AlUla

Maya Okonkwo Updated 7 min read

AlUla's best stargazing months run October through April for cooler nights; summer heat, not cloud cover, is what keeps travelers off the dunes at noon.

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Photorealistic wide-angle night photo demonstrating astrophotography gear for La Palma: a mirrorless camera on a carbon-fibre tripod with a wide fast lens, framing the Milky Way arch above a sea of clouds and the silhouette of the Roque de los Muchachos ridge at astronomical twilight over the Caldera de Taburiente

Astrophotography Gear for La Palma: Camera, Lens, Tripod

Maya Okonkwo 9 min read

Camera, lens, and tripod picks for astrophotography gear for La Palma: what to bring for Bortle 1-2 skies over the Caldera de Taburiente and the sea of clouds.

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Night view of a signposted astronomical viewpoint on La Palma with the Milky Way arcing over volcanic terrain, illustrating the best stargazing spots in La Palma, a dark Bortle-class sky above a highland plateau

Best Stargazing Spots in La Palma

Maya Okonkwo Updated 7 min read

La Palma runs an official 16-site astronomical viewpoint network, unlike Tenerife. Here are the named spots worth visiting, and why the summit isn't one.

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Milky Way galactic core rising above Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma, illustrating the best time for stargazing in La Palma with dark Bortle 1-2 skies over the Caldera de Taburiente rim

Best Time for Stargazing in La Palma

Maya Okonkwo Updated 8 min read

La Palma stargazing peaks May-September, but real AEMET data shows calima risk spikes in December and February, not January. Month-by-month planning inside.

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A rental car ascending the narrow, hairpin-bend summit road toward Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma at dusk, illustrating getting to La Palma's stargazing sites, with dense pine forest and a volcanic ridgeline below the observatory domes

Getting to La Palma: Airport, Ferry & Driving Guide

Maya Okonkwo 7 min read

Fly into La Palma Airport (SPC) or ferry in from Tenerife, then drive LP-4 to Roque de los Muchachos Observatory. The summit road closes to the public at night.

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Photorealistic wide-angle nightscape of the Caldera de Taburiente rim on La Palma at full dark, Milky Way core arching above the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory domes in the distance, volcanic ridge silhouette in the foreground, no moon, Bortle 2 sky, illustrating how many days in La Palma for stargazing produce this view

How Many Days in La Palma for Stargazing

Maya Okonkwo Updated 8 min read

Two nights works in peak season, three is the real minimum, and five lets you add the Caldera de Taburiente and Tajogaite volcano. Here's the honest math.

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Is La Palma worth it for stargazing? Milky Way arching over the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory domes on La Palma's caldera rim, Bortle 1-2 dark sky at 2,396 metres, Canary Islands

Is La Palma Worth It for Stargazing?

Maya Okonkwo Updated 7 min read

La Palma stargazing: world's first Starlight Reserve, Bortle 1-2 skies, and only 84,000 people against Tenerife's 964,000. Here's who should actually go.

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Milky Way arching above the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory domes at night on La Palma, illustrating this La Palma stargazing FAQ with Bortle 1-2 dark skies over the Caldera de Taburiente rim

La Palma Stargazing FAQ: Your Questions Answered

Maya Okonkwo Updated 5 min read

La Palma stargazing FAQ: best months, why the observatory closes at night, top Garafía spots, tour costs, cold-weather gear, and how it compares to Tenerife.

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