{"id":8817,"date":"2026-03-17T22:06:54","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T22:06:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=8817"},"modified":"2026-03-17T22:06:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T22:06:54","slug":"the-growing-demand-for-astrotourism-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=8817","title":{"rendered":"The Growing Demand for Astrotourism Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>Where to go, what to see, and how to document astronomical events this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/p>\n<p class=\"fp-leadCaption py-tight text-left font-utility text-utility3-size leading-utility3-line-height text-secondary\">Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, Utah<!-- --> (Photo: Marcin Zajac\/Utah Office of Tourism)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published March 16, 2026 10:52AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>I Spent More than a Decade Chasing the World\u2019s Darkest Nights. Here\u2019s Why Dark Sky Tourism Is More than Just a Trend.<\/h2>\n<p>From stargazing to aurora hunting, travelers are chasing an increasingly rare resource: natural night.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2734614\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Abandoned motel sign in front of a clear night sky with the Milky Way.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2734614\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-juniper-lodge-motel.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-juniper-lodge-motel.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">An abandoned motel in Northern California. Dark-sky tourism, now a $10 billion industry, may be worth $20 billion in another decade.<\/span> (Photo: Jay Clue)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"buy-button flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-0 md:gap-2\"><span class=\"\">READ MORE<\/span><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>4 Night Sky Events to See This Year<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2734612\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A person stands on an empty road underneath green ribbons of aurora.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2734612\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-aurora.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-aurora.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">Northwest Territories, Canada<\/span> (Photo: Jay Clue)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><b>March 20:\u00a0<\/b>The equinoxes often trigger an uptick in aurora activity around the world. Track on apps like <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/my-aurora-forecast-alerts\/id1073082439\">My Aurora Forecast<\/a>, or plan a northern lights adventure for March or September.<\/li>\n<li><b>August 12:\u00a0<\/b>See a total solar eclipse above adventure getaways like Greenland, Iceland, and Spain\u2014but act quickly. Many accommodations and events are selling out.<\/li>\n<li><b>August 12\u201313: <\/b>This year\u2019s Perseid meteor shower will see near-perfect conditions with a new moon from August 12 to 13; U.S. sky-watchers could observe 100-plus shooting stars per hour.<\/li>\n<li><b>November 24:\u00a0<\/b>The next supermoon (a full moon at or near the closest point in its orbit) of 2026 appears on November 24; it\u2019s followed by another luminous supermoon in late December.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>These Are the Best Places for Astrotourism in 2026<\/h2>\n<p>From a total solar eclipse to \u201cstar-beds\u201d on an African safari, 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for travel. These are the destinations I\u2019m watching for the most spectacular views on Earth.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2735250\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A telescope against a partly cloudy night sky.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2735250\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-astrotourism-telescope.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-astrotourism-telescope.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">The Moonraker Victorian Refractor telescope at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.<\/span> (Photo: Lowell Observatory)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"buy-button flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-0 md:gap-2\"><span class=\"\">READ MORE<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/p>\n<section id=\"\" class=\"content-card rounded-xl px-base-loose pt-base-loose pb-loose shadow-sm shadow-black\/10\">\n<h2>Your Seat to the Stars<\/h2>\n<p><b>NEMO Stargaze Evo-X Folding Reclining Camp Chair<\/b><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2734609\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Nemo Stargaze Evo-X chair in red.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1500\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2734609\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-nemo-stargaze-evo-x.jpg?width=1920&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x, https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-nemo-stargaze-evo-x.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 2x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-nemo-stargaze-evo-x.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">(Photo: Courtesy Nemo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><b><i>A camp chair designed for looking skyward.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p>Sky-watching requires a lot of upward gazing, and that posture can wreak havoc on your neck and shoulders\u2014something I\u2019ve learned the hard way. To watch the heavens without a side of neck strain, I recommend a reclining camp chair like the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/product\/242354\/nemo-stargaze-evo-x-folding-reclining-camp-chair?irclickid=08HR9uWhqxycRrY0QoxtxRoTUkp3erRvxV%3Ax340&amp;irgwc=1&amp;cm_mmc=aff_IM-_-2850304-_--_--_-Outside%20Online\">NEMO Stargaze seat<\/a> (from $180). A folding frame makes it quick to pack, and the cozy, hammock-like seat lets you peer toward space comfortably. I\u2019m still a blanket-first stargazer, but this is a great backup option, especially in places with bugs galore. \u2014<em>Stephanie Vermillion<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/section>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>Pro Tips for Shooting the Night Sky (No Matter What Equipment You Have)<\/h2>\n<p>Capturing the Milky Way doesn\u2019t require thousands of dollars in gear. Here is my simple guide to using your smartphone\u2014or camera\u2014and the dark sky to take professional-quality photos.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2734608\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Man photographing a clear night sky on a dry lakebed.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2734608\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-night-photography.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dark-sky-package-night-photography.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">Alvord Desert, Oregon (Photo: Jay Clue)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"buy-button flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-0 md:gap-2\"><span class=\"\">READ MORE<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/adventure-travel\/advice\/astrotourism-2026\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Where to go, what to see, and how to document astronomical events this year. Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, Utah (Photo: Marcin Zajac\/Utah Office of Tourism) Published March 16, 2026 10:52AM I Spent More than a Decade Chasing the World\u2019s Darkest Nights. Here\u2019s Why Dark Sky Tourism Is More than Just a Trend. From<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8818,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8817","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wild-living"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8817"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8817\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}