How To Plan an Awesome Astronomy Holiday

Binoculars For Stargazing

Take a stargazing tour with an astronomer on your astronomy holiday! You should be able to borrow binoculars to view moons, planets, and deep sky objects (such as the Orion Nebula) far away. Are you keen to get your own kit? Some of the best binoculars recommended have large objective lenses (40mm or 50mm) with magnification of at least 15x for good visibility. Anti-fogging stargazing binoculars (nitrogen-filled) are useful for making the moon and planets come alive too.

Telescopes for an Astronomy Holiday

You could take a portable, easy-to-use telescope, to view deep-space objects. Wi-Fi and smartphone telescopes are available too. This is where a telescope is operated with an app on your mobile phone or tablet, making this an easier tech option.

Solar Eclipse Eyewear

Precautions must be taken when viewing an eclipse. UV and infrared light have the potential to damage unprotected eyes and you should never look directly at the sun.

A special-purpose solar filter for optics should be secured on the front of a camera lens, binoculars, or telescope. Viewing an eclipse with the naked eye? A safe handheld solar viewer or solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) should be worn to protect your eyes.

Where can I see the next solar eclipse?

The next total solar eclipse will occur in 2026 on Wednesday 12th August. Spain, Greenland, and Iceland are the top three locations for the total solar eclipse. This will be the first solar eclipse to reach Planet Earth in 27 years so, choose a unique way to observe it! For instance, you could cruise into the world’s largest fjord for a great view. However, remember that two solar and one lunar eclipse will happen this year too!

To remember where and when future eclipses will happen visit the eclipsewise website for dates and charts. Also, learn more about eclipses on the NASA website.

Andalucía, Spain

Does going off the beaten path to learn about a country appeal to you? Explore the Sierra Sur de Jaén region in Andalucía by automobile for spring sunshine! Whizz past castles and through whitewashed villages. Then sample top cuisine amongst the mountains before reaching the Sierra Sur de Jaén Starlight Reserve – one of many starlight destinations in Andalucía.

Alongside a mountainous landscape, the Sierra Sur de Jaén, Sierra Morena, and another 67 towns are a group of stargazing destinations. Together, they hold the international Starlight Reserve certification from UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). In response, amateur associations share the best areas to stargaze with their visitors. These include two astronomical observatories. Plus, astronomical activities are organised each year.

Ugento, Italy

Another lesser-known location for stargazing is the southern city of Ugento Italy – dubbed the city of art. After admiring artifacts at the Colosso Museum – venture to the countryside. Have your binoculars at hand to see the planets after sunset. These include Mars and Neptune. Don’t want to go out alone? See if you can find a hotel that has a telescope and observatory!

To, improve your understanding of astronomy, visit Parco Astronomico. You can observe celestial objects through a telescope. Hear the “voice of the stars” and touch extraterrestrial material inside an interactive planetarium!

The Canary Islands

The Canary Islands aren’t just a collection of welcoming beach holiday destinations. Enjoy Lanzarote’s warm, sunny climate by day. Then chill out by visiting the volcanic Timanfaya National Park or the Peñas del Chache at dusk. As night falls, capture the Milky Way and stars.

To photograph circular star trails that illustrate the stars’ motion visit Tenerife. Tenerife has a UNESCO Starlight Reserve in El Teide National Park. Reach the park’s Mount Teide via cable car to join stargazing sessions with telescopes.

Norway

A trip to Norway can be magical at any time of the year. To see the Northern Lights book, your trip in good time (to source accommodation) between late September and early April.

One of the top places to see the lights in Norway is Tromso because it sits at the centre of the Aurora Zone in the Norwegian Arctic. However, to see the Aurora Borealis at its best, venture out on a clear night to avoid all light pollution. By boarding a bus or the Fjellheisen Mountain Cable Car, you can cherish some mesmerising moments 421 meters above sea level.

Alternatively, to capture the Aurora’s beautiful shades of green, red, or purple go off the beaten path. Cosy up in a cabin within the Lyngenfjord region (situated between Tromso and Alta). While staying in this location, you could find more winter sports to enjoy throughout your trip!

Lapland, Finland

To immerse yourself in Finland’s culture in winter, stay in a family-run hotel in Menesjärvi on the edge of a lake. Wake up to warming meals and learn wilderness skills with the locals. Building snowmen with all the family will be a great activity too.

Cross-country skiing down the slopes may also be fun, but you’ll want to make time to meet members of the Sami community too. Their aurora experts and husky sledders will share where you can view the northern lights. They may even recall stories of myths and legends associated with the aurora under a dark sky! When you’re under a dark sky in Finland wait for the faintest of green lights to emerge. Then sit in the stillness to listen and observe the breathtaking nature around you.

The United Kingdom

Were you lucky to see the Northern Lights across the UK in 2024? Some saw them in different parts more than once. This was quite unusual. The Aurora Borealis appeared because in 2024 we were witnessing a period of intense geomagnetic activity. The auroral zones spread out and travelled near the equator. This allowed us to see the Aurora because the UK sits at a low latitude.

From now until 2028, there’ll be an increase in solar activity and eruptions from the sun, including solar flares that bring big bursts of energy into space. This gives us opportunities to see sightings of the aurora from planet Earth. By 2028 these activities will start to fade.

Covered in our stargazing holiday blog, whether you wish to go stargazing, see the Northern Lights, or even an eclipse, there are many dark sky parks and sites across the UK to visit.

Plan your dark sky weekend at one of these dark sky conservation areas:

1. Whinlatter Forest Park in the Lake District. England’s only mountain forest provides a superior position to see rare wildlife, stars, the moon, and The Milky Way.
2. The Brecon Beacons National Park is one of five International Dark Sky Reserves in the world! Spot major constellations, bright nebulas, or a meteor shower.
3. The Galloway International Dark Sky Park Dumfries in Scotland. Try counting 7,000 stars and planets! For a panoramic view, turn to The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory.
4. The Om Dark Sky Park. Davagh Forest beneath the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland. Not only are tours at the observatory available but you can also learn about archaeology (the Beaghmore Stone Circles) and astronomy in the area.