Jake Hinton • February 10, 2023
Explore the Dark Skies of Borrego Springs
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A Guide to Stargazing
If you’re looking to escape the bright city lights and immerse yourself in the beauty of the night sky, Borrego Springs is the perfect destination. As a designated Dark Sky Community, Borrego Springs offers some of the best stargazing opportunities in the world. With its clear, dark skies and minimal light pollution, you can enjoy breathtaking views of stars and planets, making it an ideal spot for astronomy enthusiasts, families, and anyone wanting a serene getaway.
The Dark Sky Community of Borrego Springs
Borrego Springs is committed to preserving the night sky and reducing light pollution. The town has strict regulations on outdoor lighting, making it one of the darkest places for stargazing. Visitors can enjoy stunning views of stars, planets, and galaxies, making it a must-visit for astronomy lovers.
Tips for Stargazing in Borrego Springs
- Choose the Right Time: Winter months are best for stargazing with clear skies and cooler temperatures. Summer can be hot and hazy, making star visibility difficult.
- Find a Good Viewing Spot: Designated stargazing spots like Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offer wide open areas with minimal light pollution. Choose a spot with an unobstructed view of the sky.
- Bring the Right Equipment: A good pair of binoculars or a telescope enhances the stargazing experience. Bring a comfortable chair or blanket and a red flashlight to preserve your night vision.
- Dress Appropriately: Nights in Borrego Springs can be cool, so wear layered clothing and bring a warm hat or scarf. However, be prepared for hot temperatures as well, especially during the summer.
- Know the Constellations: Familiarize yourself with constellations using a star chart or smartphone app to identify stars and planets.
In conclusion, for a unique and unforgettable experience, visit Borrego Springs. With its clear, dark skies and low light pollution, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the stars and planets. Pack your bags and head to Borrego Springs for an amazing stargazing adventure!
Learn More About Borrego Springs
September 19 from 2–6 p.m.
Wednesday, August 26
Saturdays from 11 to 1 p.m
By Dennis Mammana Week of Aug 16-22, 2026 It was 20 years ago that our solar system lost a planet. Well, it didn't really go anywhere, but Pluto is no longer a planet because it's been reclassified. I'm sure you figured out in school that scientists love to classify things. Rocks, clouds, plants and, yes, even stars and planets. So why did they feel the need to reclassify Pluto? Because Pluto doesn't seem to fit the pattern of the rest of the major worlds of our solar system. First, it's a world not even 1,500 miles across; in other words, if we could bring it to Earth, it would fit inside of Mexico. Its orbit is tipped about 17 degrees to the orbits of all the other planets and is so elongated that every 240 years it crosses the orbit of Neptune. In addition, Pluto is an icy world with only five known moons, yet it exists in the realm of the gassy, ringed giants, around which hundreds of moons orbit. This is one strange world, so on Aug. 24, 2006, when the International Astronomical Union reclassified it as a "dwarf planet" — one of five currently known — some folks became quite upset. I hear people say all the time, "Pluto was a planet when I was in school, and by God, it's still a planet!" But that's not how science works. As we learn more about nature, we find characteristics and patterns that don't match up with our previous notions. Sometimes when that happens, we must change the way we think. It's all good science, and it happens more frequently than you might imagine. Ages ago, anyone on the high seas would have considered whales as fish. Though whales were known to have characteristics different from fish, it wasn't until 1758 that the 10th edition of Carl Linnaeus' "System Naturae" officially branded them as mammals. I'd be willing to bet that if the internet had existed back then, folks would have been screaming for Linnaeus' hide, and proclaiming, "Whales were fish when I went to school, and by God, they're still fish!" But here we are, three centuries later, and no one's upset any longer. No, Pluto just doesn't fit the patterns of all the other planets, so for that reason, it seems to me, Pluto cannot legitimately be categorized as a planet. So if Pluto's not a planet, what is it? A moon of one of the outer planets that broke free? A monster comet? A weird missing link? Good questions, all. Unfortunately, we just don't know. It was in 1930 that Clyde Tombaugh found Pluto, and some of his ashes were carried onboard the New Horizons spacecraft as it sped past and explored this distant world in 2015. Those who are more sentimental than scientific believe that this reclassification is an insult to the man who was so very proud of being the discoverer of the last planet of our solar system. I knew Clyde, and I'm pretty sure this wouldn't bother him one bit. In fact, I suspect he would be even more honored to be the discoverer of the first of an entirely new class of worlds! Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com .
Wednesday, September 16
Anza-Borrego Night Hike Experience Anza-Borrego after dark on a guided 2–3 mile hike across natural desert terrain. Participants may observe shifting shadows, nighttime sounds, and nocturnal wildlife such as bats, owls, and scorpions. Event Details Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026 Time: 6:30–9:30 p.m. Meeting Location: Anza-Borrego Foundation Store, 587 Palm Canyon Dr. #110, Borrego Springs Cost: $28 ABF members, $33 non-members, $17 students The group will meet at the ABF store and carpool or caravan to the trailhead. The hike will be led by Wilderness First Responder Matt Nagy. Bring sturdy closed-toe shoes, a flashlight or headlamp, at least 2 liters of water, and snacks. Register Today Space may be limited, so early registration is recommended. >> Register Here
The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak during the predawn hours of Thursday, Aug. 13.
Complimentary Tram Admission in August for Qualifying First Responders
Award-Winning Cellist Ruslan Biryukov Performs Two Concerts in Julian
By Dennis Mammana Week of Aug 2-8, 2026 One of the most profound experiences a stargazer can have is to stand under the Milky Way on a clear August night far from city lights and see the wispy bunches of stars so tightly packed that they appear to the eye as a hazy band of light punctuated not only by bright individual stars but by tiny regions that appear as hazy clumps. Aim binoculars or a small telescope toward these "faint fuzzies," as astronomers affectionately call them, and you'll walk the same celestial path as Charles Messier did two and a half centuries ago. Messier was an 18th-century French astronomer who scanned the heavens in search of new comets, hoping that such discoveries would lead him to fame and fortune. He knew that comets often first appear as faint and colorless smudges of light that drift slowly among the stars, so that's what he was seeking. Along the way, however, he encountered dozens of such smudges that did not move. What these were he didn't know and, quite frankly, he didn't care. They weren't comets, so to avoid wasting more of his time on them — and to prevent other comet hunters from being similarly fooled — he began to compile a list of all these false comets he encountered on his nightly watch. Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com .
