Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Utah offers numerous "dark sky" locations for winter solstice stargazing opportunities.
- The Ursids meteor shower peaks this weekend, enhancing the night sky's splendor.
- Cloud cover will likely impact night sky viewing in most parts of the state.
SALT LAKE CITY — Some people loathe winter solstice as the longest night of the year, but it does offer more time to explore one of Utah's top features — the night sky.
Utah is home to dozens of "dark sky" places, as designated by DarkSky International, offering a better view of the stars and constellations without light pollution. That's more than any other state and doesn't account for other parts of the state that are off the beaten path.
The Ursids meteor shower figures to provide an added boost this winter solstice, peaking Sunday night into Monday morning.
While stormy activity this weekend could make stargazing difficult in some parts of the state, here are five places worth exploring for the longest night of the year.
Bluff
Designed a "dark sky community" earlier this year, the San Juan County town will have some cloud cover from storms passing through the West and a slight chance for a sprinkle, according to the National Weather Service. It calls for clouds to cover 35% to 60% of the sky throughout the night, with the lowest coverage expected shortly after sunset on Sunday.
Canyonlands National Park
You'll see a theme here, as cloud cover is forecast to be the strongest in southwest, central and northern Utah on Sunday, while it may not be as thick in southeast Utah. It could cover about a third of the sky above Canyonlands National Park on Sunday night, before increasing to over half of the sky by Monday morning.
Capitol Reef National Park
Cloud cover could also be lower in south-central Utah, making it ideal for places like Capitol Reef. It's forecast to be 30% to 45%, before more cloud cover later into Monday morning. Torrey, Wayne County, is also a "dark sky community."
Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park offers some of the most picturesque views during the day or night. With cloud cover expected to be 30% to 50% between Sunday night and early Monday, it's a good place to view the stars, too.
Moab
Moab, which is close to Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point and several other dark sky parks, is also a "dark sky community" itself. That makes it the perfect hub for exploring out to various places to view the dark sky, or stay close to the city.
Cloud cover is projected to remain between 30% and 50% between Sunday night and early Monday.
