When I declared, at the end of high school, that I was going to Iowa for college, people generally responded: really? You see, Iowa is one of the "fly-over" states – or that's what most people from the coasts do anyway. Having now lived on both the coasts and in the heart of the Midwest, I can say that there's something special about each, and my four years spent among the corn and under Iowa's dark starry skies are a memorable chapter in my life...

For being called the Show-Me State, a lot of people overlook Missouri. Sure, they might stop and snap a photo of that famous arch, or enjoy a plate of delicious barbecue – but most people either fly-over or drive right through Missouri – and that's a real shame...

People call it a 'fly-over state,' but if you know anything about stargazing then you know that Nebraska is actually very much worth exploring once the sun sets each day. (And during the day too, but I don't cover that on this site!). Nebraska, also called the Cornhusker State for the university's mascots which were in turn named for one of the state's primary crops, is a fantastic dark sky destination, as it has huge tracts of agricultural land without light pollution...

Maryland is known for may things, including – but certainly not limited to – blue crabs, baseball, and Old Bay seasoning. (I can still imagine the smell in my mind!) But what about stargazing in Maryland? Most people are surprised to learn that I was actually born in Maryland and spent the first few years of my life there...

The Empire State is known for many things, great sports teams, autumn leaf-peeping, and the biggest city in the country among them. And while I've already covered that stargazing in New York City is challenging (at best!), there's a lot more to New York than the Big Apple...

Even with large cities like Milwaukee and Madison, the state of Wisconsin still has a small-town appeal that makes it popular for people wanting to relax and enjoy nature. The state is also notable for its many stargazing locations and attracts many astronomy enthusiasts every year...

When it comes to stargazing in the United States, it's harder to see the stars the further east you go. Unfortunately, more extensive development has led to a lot more light pollution; this in turn has made it hard to enjoy a night of stargazing since you can see fewer stars near urban areas – and must drive further to reach the few pockets of truly dark sky that remain...

While the Eastern Seaboard is generally known to be terrible for night sky quality, there are spots in every New England state where you can find pockets of darkness to enjoy the stars. cations throughout the state where you can watch the stars...

To put it simply, Alberta is one of the best places for stargazing on the planet. For starters, this Canadian province boasts not only the world’s largest but also second-largest Dark Sky Preserves. On top of that, Alberta is the sunniest province in Canada, which translates into a whole lot of clear nights...

Ask anyone about the states with the best space heritage, and Ohio might well make the list. Despite its relative small size compared to other states, Ohio ranks #4 in the number of astronauts that hailed from the state (after New York, California, and Texas). Maybe it's nights of stargazing in Ohio and wondering what's out there that inspired all those astronauts...