Three perfect places to explore the starry sky in Germany.
Find your way back to nature in the darkest places in Germany.
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and admired the millions of twinkling stars?
Celestial observation is simply wonderful to turn inward and feel calm and inner peace. Have you ever done that? Sit outside with a warm blanket on a starry night and watch the stars?
Looking up at a cloudless night sky is breathtaking and can be overwhelming. There are so many stars, planets and satellites above us that identifying them is definitely not easy. Luckily, in addition to telescopes, there are helpful apps available these days to help identify and name star images.
Of course, you can see the stars everywhere, but there are special places that are even more suitable than others. For example, because they are very remote and the sky is not illuminated by industrial light.
Few places in the world offer such an absolutely clear view of the night sky. Worldwide, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) has listed fewer than 40 areas where artificial light is prohibited and the dark night sky is thus protected.
Three of these places have been parks in Germany since 2014! Crazy, right?
Stars in Berlin - The Nature Park Westhavelland
The Westhavelland Nature Park in the state of Brandenburg, 70 kilometers west of Berlin, was named the first star park in Germany by the IDA. The region is one of the darkest places in Germany, partly because of its small population. In terms of darkness, it is comparable to the desert in Namibia. Here, skywatchers can not only admire the Milky Way, but also experience the "airglow," a faint glow of the upper layers of the atmosphere.
See the Milky Way - The Eifel National Park
The Eifel National Park is a protected area in North Rhine-Westphalia, about 65 kilometers southwest of Cologne. The region provides an almost undisturbed habitat for wildcats and black storks and is home to a variety of flowers and plants.
This protected and remote area also offers an unadulterated view of the spectacular night sky. On clear nights, you can see the Milky Way here with the naked eye!
The Night Sky as Cultural Heritage - UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Rhön
At a time when the night sky is becoming increasingly rare due to light pollution, the Rhön UNESCO Biosphere Reserve strives for sustainable development that reconciles economic and social concerns with environmental concerns as far as possible.
The reserve takes initiatives to draw attention to the need to protect the night sky not only for its natural aspects, but also as a cultural heritage of mankind. Stargazing is considered one of the oldest forms of science in the history of mankind. This region, bordering the states of Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia, is particularly suitable for observing the night sky.
Staying warm during stargazing
As experts in outdoor warmth, we can't resist giving you a few tips on how to make stargazing extra cozy 😊
- Wrap yourself in our warming blanket, for example, which has just the right temperature thanks to our patented deep heat technology. This blanket not only keeps you warm, but its coating also prevents moisture from penetrating.
- Or sit on one of our heat pads, which are super flexible or backrest perfect for sky watching.