Stargazing clear skies around La Serena

Listed under Astronomy in Coquimbo, Chile.

Chile is widely recognised as having the world's best skies for stargazing with an average of 300 clear nights a year and the extremely dry air creating excellent visibility.

The area surrounding La Serena in the Andean foothills is home to many of the world's biggest observatories including the European Southern Observatory. Most can be visited only during the day and as part of a guided tour but the Cerro Marmalluca Community Observatory is open for night-time viewing for those who are really looking to explore the Southern hemisphere's magical night skies in depth.

Chile's tourism sector runs all sorts of astronomically focused tours from naked eye trips into the Atacama desert to the 'Route of the Stars' that runs from observatory to observatory across the length of Chile.

This is a great destination for just getting out into the wild and really losing yourself in the fabulous skies; take a star chart and some binoculars and look out for the infamous Southern Cross and the mind-bogglingly distant Magellanic Clouds.

Written by  Anna Dejardin.

Comments, reviews and questions

There are no posts. Why not be the first to have your say?

Add a comment, review or question

Review title
Your comment
Your rating
Your name
Your email address

 
 

Sponsored ads

  • Mountain Bike Chile & Argentina

    Mountain bike the lake district of Chile and Argentina an area of outstanding natural beauty. 15 days fully guided from £1595 land only.

    www.skedaddle.co.uk
  • Wilderness Journeys

    Inspiring small group or tailor made adventures in the world's wild places. From trekking in Peru, mountain biking in Bhutan to ski touring in France.

    www.wildernessjourneys.com
  • Tour Latin America

    Engaging,authentic discoveries of the South American continent, from scenic Patagonia to the pampas, from Lima to La Paz…

    www.tauck.com
  • Chile: The Highlights

    The highlights of Chile: Santiago, Easter Island, Patagonia and the Lake District. 15 day multi activity tour. From £4626.

    www.yampu.com
  • Whitewater Rafting South America

    Whether you prefer the turquoise waters of the Futaleufu River or tumbling through the jungle of Ecuador Rafting America has the adventure for you

    www.raftingamerica.com
  • Advertise here

Who's been here

No travelers have told us they have been here. Have you?

Similar experiences

  • Astronomy on the Yucatan peninsula

    The Yucatan coast of Mexico, home of the ancient Mayan culture, is a must-see destination for anyone interested in both amateur…

  • Astronomy in the Karoo National Park

    Karoo National Park is set in the Great Karoo, South Africa's largest natural ecosystem. Consisting largely of vast, undulating…

  • Antarctic Star Cruise

    Antarctica is widely documented as the best place for astronomy on the planet. Home to some of the driest conditions on earth a…

What's nearby

  • Pia Glacier

    On the north-west arm of the Beagle Channel, in the center of the "Avenue of Glaciers", Pia Glacier is embedded in the Darwin R…

  • Laguna del Laja National Park

    A beautiful park of 11,600 hectares (25,520 acres), its main attraction is the lagoon that gives the park its name. It reflects…

  • Patagonia Eco-Camp

    This is a camp that lives and breathes the spirit of the ancient inhabitants of the land taking us right back to their nomadic …

Related content

Subscribe to newsletter Add an experience Share