The night sky is full of thousands of stars, but many of us never see most of them; light pollution created by towns and cities makes them impossible to see. Luckily, there are still places to see the heavens lit up with twinkling stars, and New Mexico’s Chaco Culture National Historic Park is one of them.

At Chaco Culture National Historical Park, you can view the skies just as the Chacoans would have seen them over a thousand years ago.
National Park Service
Long before electric lights were invented, humans gazed heavenward in awe at the night sky's vibrant points of light.
As the sun sets, the stars begin to emerge...a few at a time, then by the hundreds.
Mark Kaletka/flickr
You may have forgotten that so many stars exist in the sky.
The desert becomes a quiet, peaceful place with a ceiling of sparkling, twinkling lights.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park/Facebook
Under this blanket of stars, a whole host of nocturnal animals start to stir, and if you sit quietly while you stargaze, you'll likely hear (and maybe see them) around you.

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Look to the heavens to witness the Milky Way, which is easily visible here due to the lack of light pollution.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park/Facebook
Chaco Culture National Historical Park was named as an International Dark Sky Park, meeting the association's strict criteria regarding lack of light pollution.
Check out this amazing photo of Globular Star Cluster M13
Chaco Culture National Historical Park/Facebook
M13 is a cluster of approximately 300,000 stars in the Hercules constellation. It's best viewed through a telescope between August and September.
April is a great time to view Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. In the early morning hours before sunrise, you can see Venus setting.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park/Facebook
Attend an event hosted by the Albuquerque Astronomical Society to learn more about the skies above the park. Click here for more information.
Plan an overnight trip to fully enjoy the night skies above Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park/Facebook
This photo was taken from the Gallo Campground.

Have you ever witnessed the stars at Chaco Culture National Historic Park? Tell us about your stargazing experience!

If you’re ready to explore more of New Mexico’s natural beauty, take a look at this hike that takes you to a place that New Mexico’s first residents left behind.

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