Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California, United States

© Chao Zhang/Getty Image

Under the spell of the Milky Way. International Dark Sky Week

Imagine standing under a sky so dark that the Milky Way stretches across it like a luminous ribbon. This is the experience International Dark Sky Week aims to bring back. Every April, during the week of the new moon (this year from April 21 to 27), people are encouraged to gaze at the stars. The event was founded in 2003 by Jennifer Barlow, an American high school student, to raise awareness of light pollution. One of the best places to experience a pristine night sky in the United States is Joshua Tree National Park in southeastern California, an International Dark Sky Park. Here, the absence of artificial light allows visitors to see the stars as our ancestors once did.

In Canada, you don't have to travel far for stargazing. The country has several designated Dark Sky Preserve. In Ontario, Bruce Peninsula National Park and the neighbouring Fathom Five National Marine Park offer stunning night sky views over Georgian Bay. Further east, Kejimkujik National Park in Nova Scotia provides a star-filled sky in a setting rich with Mi'kmaq heritage. And the list goes on. Well, reducing light pollution restores our night sky, supports wildlife and conserves energy. So, turn off the lights and look up!