WALL STREET JOURNAL - It's too hot to bake yet another peach pie and too late in the season to start a victory garden, but it is a prime time to ponder the night sky. More than 60 places around the country have been designated as exemplary stargazing sites by the International Dark-Sky Association, which is not, as the name suggests, the bureaucratic arm of the League of Villains, but a conservation organization devoted to reducing light pollution. Not only do these Dark Sky sites provide a high-def upgrade to backyard stargazing, but, since they’re often in fairly remote locales, they’re also conducive to social distancing. For those who’d rather stay in their own orbit, several Dark Sky sites offer up a hefty menu of virtual astronomy programs.
Sandwiched between San Diego and the Salton Sea, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers all the beauty of a California desert without the crowds at Joshua Tree and Palm Springs. The regular stargazing meet-ups and private night tours are on hiatus, but you can still stake out spot—you’ll find a map of the area’s best stargazing sits at abdnha.org. Or, from home, view a recording of the University of California Riverside’s live video feed to see any number of celestial objects. This month try take a gander at the Perseid Meteor Shower, which peaked August 12 but is active through Aug 26th. And if you miss that, mark your calendar for Halloween, when the ultra rare Blue Moon makes an appearance.