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Camping and stargazing: how to experience the night sky

HelenaBadPlaceToBe

Updated: Nov 18, 2024

One of the biggest joys of camping is that it will often afford you the perfect opportunity to experience the beauty of the night sky.


Away from the light pollution of cities, the stars shine brighter and the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye. It can be a truly magical experience.


Best of all, it's free. It's a great way to connect with nature and the universe.


The first step in enjoying stargazing while camping is to choose the right location. The best places to stargaze are in remote areas with minimal light pollution, such as national parks or wilderness areas. You can use websites like the Light Pollution Map to find the best stargazing locations near you.


Once you've found the perfect spot, it's time to set up camp. Make sure to set up your tent in a location that's far from any sources of light, such as campfires or lanterns – these can seriously affect your night vision.


For the same reason, it's also important to avoid using a flashlight or any other kind of artificial light once the sun goes down. Your eyes need about 20-30 minutes to fully adjust to the darkness, and any kind of light will make it harder to see the stars.


Heads up!


Once you're settled in, it's time to start stargazing. The best time to do it is usually during the new moon phase, when the moon is not visible in the sky. This will allow you to see the faintest stars and the Milky Way.


But even if the moon is visible, you can still enjoy the night sky. In fact, the moon can be a great subject for photography, and it can also light up the landscape and make it easier to navigate.


Knowing what you're looking at


If you're new to stargazing, it's a good idea to bring a star chart or a planetarium app on your phone – our favourite is Stellarium. These tools will help you identify the constellations and planets visible in the sky.


Another way to enhance your stargazing experience is to bring a pair of binoculars or a telescope. Binoculars are great for seeing details in the moon and even some planets, while a decent telescope will allow you to see deep-sky objects like galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters.


Remember, though, that these tools are not necessary to enjoy the night sky. The naked eye is often the best instrument for stargazing, and it's a great way to appreciate the beauty of the heavens.


Preserving the memory


The stars and the Milky Way make for great subjects for photography, and with a little bit of practice, you can capture stunning images that will remind you of your camping trip for years to come.


Use a sturdy tripod if possible, a wide-angle lens and a high ISO setting, and experiment with different shutter speeds to capture the movement of the stars. This article on space.com has lots of helpful tips.


We find that a camping trip just doesn't feel complete without a bit of stargazing. By choosing the right location, setting up camp correctly and having an idea of what you are looking at, you can really experience the beauty of the night sky before settling in to your tent for the night.


Enjoy this post? Please 'like' it (click the little heart below), check out our other blogs and come back soon for more :)






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The authors of Best Tent Blog assume no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site. The information contained in this site is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Every camping decision you make is your own and we accept no liability whatsoever.

Best Tent Blog was created over a beer one night when three friends were talking about what, exactly, they so loved about the great outdoors.

 

Mitch, our founder, put down his drink to explain that his own particular fascination with camping tents stemmed from a trip he'd had when he was just 10 years old on a rough strip of grass not far from his best friend's house. In the middle of town.

 

It was the least glamorous introduction to camping that anyone could imagine – five pre-pubescent guys wedged into a three-person tent with just enough floor space to accommodate them and their (limited) camping gear.

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Camping tents were fairly unwieldy back then, and Mitch remembers the hellish struggle of trying to haul the fart-infested sack of canvas back to his friend's house.

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Other tents of the lightweight variety were for more serious campers, he quickly realised, upon buying a camping magazine from the local news guy a few days later.

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"That magazine introduced me to a world of backpacking tents, car camping tents, tent poles, four season tents and a whole lot more," Mitch says. "The ads at the back were full of exciting-looking products that made me want them for no other reason than they looked cool. I was hooked."

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Fast forward a few years, and Mitch was camping on a small island with his girlfriend when he noticed that she'd inadvertently hitched a pair of boxer shorts out of his backpack and was swinging them around the tent on a pole like an all-conquering flag-waver.

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Then there was the time at a sold-out summer rock festival where he attempted to leap over a friend's two person camping tent and fell face-first over a guy rope, hurtling headlong into the tent body.

 

The fact is, we all have stories like this (OK, not exactly like this). Whether you're a serious backpacker who has hiked the Appalachian trail or an occasional weekend camper – tents will have somehow wormed their way into your affection. And your drinking stories.

 

You'll maybe have discussed the intricacies of interior space with a guy in a camping store; exchanged your views on fair weather camping and multi-room family camping tents; you'll have wondered if you could convert the family Nissan for a weekend of car camping.

 

This is the tent-lover's life. And once you're in – you're in.

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As well as wanting to give people an idea about the best tents for their needs – based on reviews from experts and the most-respected websites, such as outsideonline – we wanted to encapsulate that love of camping that affects so many of us.

 

In our blogs, you'll find information about the:

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  • Best camping tents

  • Best backpacking tents

  • Budget camping tents

  • Gear storage

  • Waterproof tents

  • Camping trip ideas

  • Tent material

  • Sleeping pads

  • Outdoor gear

 

And more. Whether you're looking for the best tent blog, the best camping blog, the best outdoors blog or – more likely – a two minute distraction from your day job, we've hopefully got you covered.

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We have information about what is the best camping tent in different scenarios, the best budget tent, the best overall camping tent and you'll find blogs about fishing, hiking trails, weather resistance and sleeping bags too.

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Whether you have one tent and are looking to acquire more, or you already have a six person tent, a backpacking tent and a brace of dome tents for visitors, we hope you'll find something here that keeps you entertained, informed – and fuels your love of the great outdoors.

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Here's to you, here's to us – here's to another night under the stars.

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