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Imagine a night where the stars are your only light, and the universe becomes your canvas for romance. Stargazing dates offer a unique opportunity to connect not just with each other, but also with the vast and beautiful cosmos above.
In this article, we examine the best time to plan stargazing dates, where you can enjoy the best views, some date ideas, what you need for a stargazing night out, and tips to make the night a success.
So, let’s embark on a journey to explore the essentials for a mesmerizing stargazing date, where the universe aligns to create an unforgettable romantic adventure.
4 Stargazing date ideas
You can approach a stargazing date night from different angles, depending on your and your date’s preferences. Some date ideas include a stargazing picnic, romantic stargazing night, stargazing as a solo date, and stargazing as the first date.
1. Stargazing picnic date away from city lights
Stargazing picnics are more laid back and focused on having great conversations with your partner over food. Of course, you can plan additional activities, but the picnic is the main activity for the night.
It’s important to make where you both sit or lie as comfortable as possible with extra large blankets, some throw pillows, and a fluffy cover in case it gets cold.
2. Stargazing as a solo date
You can also plan a solo stargazing date to get away from the city and unwind. You may use that opportunity to test a new telescope or astronomy tool/equipment.
It can be a fantastic avenue to view a particular celestial object you’ve been tracking for a while.
In essence, you can also plan stargazing dates for yourself and keep yourself busy with some observations. In this case, you can flex your astronomy muscles and go as technical as possible. But don’t forget, you need to plan ahead as well and pick a great location and time.
3. Stargazing romantic date under the perfect dark night sky
Stargazing by itself is a perfect romantic date night. However, you can make many additions to this stargazing date night to take the romance up a notch.
One of the marque things you can do on this romantic evening is to have a star named after your partner. Even if they may not understand the technical aspects of it, they won’t stop trying to tell everyone they have a star named after them. You can get this done on a star registry like the International Star Registry.
Other romantic activities you can do include:
- Prepare a soft music playlist.
- Don’t forget to wish upon a shooting star.
- Surprise your girlfriend and show her zodiac sign star constellation in the night sky- make sure you know the correct date for her birthday. Facebook is a good place to check, or their Instagram if they have one.
- Propose? (know your partner well before you do this! Another sage advice from my girlfriend)
- Recite a poem.
- Play a musical instrument playing their favorite songs.
- Sing together.
- Dance together.
4. Stargazing as a first date
I really don’t think it’s a good idea to take a girl on a stargazing first date. Why? My girlfriend told me you could only do it if you already know the person well and have met once or twice. Otherwise, it would be creepy to meet someone for the first time and take them to a dark, isolated spot to go “stargazing.”
After I checked this with my female friends, they confirmed they wouldn’t go on a date night like that with someone they don’t know.
Moreover, they told me not to do it as a surprise! Well, I understand. It looks suspicious and unsafe.
Moving on, if you’re planning a stargazing date with a partner who is comfortable with you, go for it. It’s a cool and surprisingly unique activity to do together. You would be surprised how many people, women and men, have never been stargazing.
Nowadays, if outdoor activities or astronomy is not your hobby, you won’t go out and observe the night sky. And I’ve not even said how many people would be blown away to see a planet or nebula through a telescope for the first time.
This activity is a unique experience you can share with a special person (OMG, what a cheesy sentence, I told you my GF was helping me with this article).
What do you need for the perfect stargazing date?
There are some essential items you must bring to a perfect stargazing date. These items include a portable telescope, binoculars, star charts, a warm blanket, a picnic basket with snacks and beverages, and a flashlight.
Binoculars
If you’re in an area with great seeing, the stars would be readily visible. That said, with the help of binoculars, you can zoom in and have a more detailed look.
Many binoculars have different ranges of magnification to see farther stars. Some, like the Adasion’s 12×42 HD Binoculars, come with phone adapters, so you can easily take pictures with your mobile devices.
If you are unsure and need help picking up decent binoculars, check some of my recommendations for stargazing binoculars.
Portable telescope
Depending on how deep you want to explore, you may also need to bring a portable telescope along. You have to realize that your date might not be that interested in astronomy.
In that case, I would not try to make an astronomy lecture for her. If she’s more interested in spending time with you than searching for planets and nebulas (good for you), take only binoculars on a date.
The Celestron 70mm Travel and Portable Refractor Telescope and the Hexeum 80mm Aperture Astronomical Portable Refracting Telescope are perfect scopes for stargazing dates.
You may also like: 13 Tips for Finding and Observing Planets through a Telescope
Star charts
If you and your partner will be geeking out, a star chart may come in handy. But be careful, you don’t want the date to peter out into a bore fest, even with a partner who loves astronomy.
Picnic blankets
You need something to sit on during a stargazing date. While you may bring chairs, blankets are easier and lighter to pack.
Ensure the blanket you purchase or bring is water-resistant, easy to fold, easy to clean, and lightweight. The ZAZE Extra Large Picnic Outdoor Blanket is perfect and meets all these criteria.
Extra large because you need enough space for you and your partner to feel comfortable.
Picnic basket with snacks and beverages
Foodwise, it’s best to pack foods you can easily consume in a dark environment. Easy stuff you can pick up by hand, like mini sandwiches, spring rolls, empanadas, etc. Or even something more simple like cheese sticks or a bag of chips.
Anyway, make sure you bring it in an air-tight container to keep it fresh and also to keep it from bugs and ants. Also, come with wet wipes to show that you thought of everything.
Drinkwise, a thermos with hot chocolate or mulled wine is a good idea for colder nights. However, you can bring anything that you know your company will enjoy.
You can suss that out by asking your partner directly or going through their social media to see things they like. The former is much simpler and less time-consuming (and less creepy, too, says my girlfriend).
Flashlight
You need to plan for when it gets dark. Nonetheless, the source of light you bring should not affect your night vision. You can mitigate this by using a filter over your flashlight.
Also, note that most dark sky parks have regulations concerning light use at night. So ensure you check that out before heading to such parks.
When is the best time to have a stargazing date?
It is essential to pick the time for stargazing dates carefully. The night sky is not the same every night, and the objects you can see are regularly changing.
When stargazing is the only thing you want to do on a date, you must choose a clear night and favorable weather with pleasant temperatures. Avoid stargazing during the full moon, as it lights up the sky too much. The brighter the moon, the harder it is to see the stars. Check the weather forecast on Metcheck, for example.
Unless the object you want to observe is the moon and you plan to bring your telescope. It will be more interesting than just searching for “something good” in the dark night sky to show off in front of your girl.
Ultimately, keep it simple. I recommend planning to see something your partner can easily recognize and explain to their friends, like the planets, meteor showers, and shooting stars. The goal is to get their feet wet and not drown them, especially if this is their first stargazing experience.
There’s no point showing them “Pluto” when they’ll only see a point in the dark night sky. You don’t want a “Is that it?” question written over your date’s face. It’s also imperative to do research beforehand to ensure the celestial bodies you want to show your date are visible from the date location.
The bottom line is to be prepared.
Where should you go for a romantic stargazing date?
Your safety and clear skies must be the first considerations when choosing a location. Often, you’ll have to pick an area removed from city lights and other forms of light pollution.
The best places to go for a romantic stargazing date include dark sky parks such as the Valles Caldera National Preserve, campsites, your own backyard if you stay in the countryside and an observatory.
The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) has published a list of locations with “exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights.” There are over 80 United States locations in the database, including the Watoga State Park, the Valles Caldera National Preserve, and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
You should find a location close to you. If the park isn’t that close, you can propose a short road trip to your stargazing date.
After that is settled, you need to consider the ambiance. The location you choose must have the perfect backdrop for “romance.”
Extra tips for a successful romantic stargazing date
These additional tips will set you up for a successful romantic stargazing date.
- Plan for your date and not just for yourself: Throughout the planning phase, ensure you involve your date as much as you can. Learn your date’s preferences and show them you can be thoughtful and inclusive.
- Have a backup plan: You can plan, and nature will have other ideas. Plan properly, but also prepare for unfavorable situations such as a freak storm. What would you do in such instances? Perhaps stay under a tent and watch a movie or play board games.
- Take bug spray: You and your partner don’t want to spend the night swatting at flies and bugs, especially mosquitoes. Nothing ruins a stargazing date more than this.
Takeaway: Creating a memorable stargazing date night
Stargazing, however romantic and intimate it is, might go wrong too (don’t get me started on particular examples of how) but remember to relax and enjoy a laid-back atmosphere with your partner.
The great thing about stargazing dates is that you can make it as simple or geeked up as you want.
From lying on the blanket cuddling and observing the sky with the naked eye or using a telescope to organizing activities or picnics, you can plan whatever comes to your mind.
Have a great time!
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