This Tiny Destination in the Midwest Was Just Named the Best Astrotourism Spot in the U.S. for Its 'Exceptionally Dark Skies'

Get out your telescope in Nebraska.

Astrotourism is all the rage thanks to a few spectacular solar eclipses that have inspired a new love of space, along with a few more meteor showers to come that have people clamoring for their telescopes. But where, exactly, should you travel for the best view of the stars above?

In July, the travel booking site Omio released new data on the top locations worldwide to go for a stargazing adventure. To rank its listings, the team analyzed 1,400 places across the world and labeled them as having "good, partial, or poor clearance" on the Southern Horizon. It additionally gave each spot a Transparency Rating (one being the best), a Light Pollution Rating (again, one being the best), and a Bortle Scale Rating, which is a "nine-level numeric scale that measures the night sky's brightness of a particular location. It quantifies the astronomical observability of celestial objects and the interference caused by light pollution. Lower the value, the better the view of the stars is."

The data was then averaged and ranked by the highest Bortle Scale ratings, Good Clearance rating,  Light Pollution rating, and Transparency rating. After looking at all this information, the team named Nebraska Star Party (NSP) as the No. 1 best "location" for astrotourism outside of Europe.

We say "location" because the party is actually a yearly astrological lover's event held at Merritt Reservoir just outside of Valentine, Nebraska. It's an event that's not only open to everyone but a space where even the most novice stargazers can come and have a great time.

"For newcomers, NSP is the perfect place to become acquainted with the wonders of the heavens which can't be seen from cities," the event's website explains. "Our unique Beginner's Field School will show you how fun it is to explore the sky here, as well as in your own backyard when you return home, with or without a telescope."

As the NSP additionally explains, guests can expect "exceptionally dark skies" at the site thanks to its remote location, as the closest town — Valentine — is still a solid 35 miles away. "The 3,100-foot altitude and the fact that the Sandhills are a dry, sandy, upland plateau help keep the haze low and the transparency high," the NSP added.

However, this wasn't the only U.S. location to make the list. Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado also made the list in the No. 3 spot. The rest of the top 10 was made up entirely of Canadian destinations.

As for the best locations for stargazing in Europe, the team found "Ireland to be the clear winner, with 8 out of the top 10 places in Europe all being located there," with Ballinskelligs Beach taking the No. 1 spot. It added, "The only other countries in Europe to make the top 10 list are Scotland and Spain."

But, in case you're not feeling extremely adventurous but still want to experience all this magic, check out the best hotels in the world for stargazing that will leave you in awe without ever having to leave the grounds.

Related: This Gorgeous California State Park Was Just Named the Best Place for Stargazing in the U.S.

For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.