Few cities have as strong a space legacy as Flagstaff, Arizona. This high-elevation mountain town — no, Arizona isn’t all desert — is where Pluto was discovered, where astronauts trained to walk on the moon due to its lunar-like landscape and where thousands have gazed through world-class telescopes at Lowell Observatory. In Flagstaff, the skies are the true stars of the show.

It's therefore fitting that Flagstaff also happens to be the world’s first international dark-sky city. By day, locals and visitors alike can enjoy a year-round playground of Wild West delights, from the Grand Canyon National Park to the historic Route 66. By night, eyes gaze upward to the skies, lit up by a bright expanse of stars. Here’s all you need to know to have a ‘stellar’ time in Flagstaff.

Flagstaff's arid climate and high elevation have always contributed towards its clear skies. In 1958, the city implemented the world’s first outdoor lighting ordinance — whereby strict regulations were put in place to reduce outdoor light pollution. Specific lighting zones, timing limits and restrictions on the type of outdoor lighting allowed throughout the city were enforced, helping to protect its dark sky stargazing opportunities. Over the past half-century, the city has only grown more dedicated to this mission. When you visit, look up, and you’ll notice the downward-facing street lamps emitting a soft, tangerine glow. Look even further up, and you’ll see far more stars than you’ve ever seen on city streets, and in downtown Flagstaff you can even see the Milky Way.

Flagstaff is known as the ‘city of seven wonders’ because it’s home to seven national parks and monuments within 10 to 80 miles of the city — all of which are epic locations to explore and see the stars at night. Lowell Observatory is also located in Flagstaff, the epicentre of Arizona's celestial scene. The observatory holds many exhibits, and visitors can look through renowned telescopes that use state-of-the-art technology.

Other excellent stargazing spots in and around the town include the area surrounding Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument — an incredible cinder cone within the San Francisco Volcanic Field that has forests of Ponderosa pine trees (Flagstaff is home to the world's largest Ponderosa pine forest) dotted beneath it, with impressive lava flows that you can hike next to. The protected area of Wupatki National Monument is another interesting nearby location, home to ancient Native American ruins. In fact, head further north, and you will pass many Native American reservations for the Havasupai, Navajo and Hopi people. The Navajo Reservation here is the largest Native American reservation in the United States.

Flagstaff has excellent stargazing opportunities throughout the year. But to witness the absolute brightest skies, come during a new moon. At this time of month, the moon is the least bright, meaning the cosmos is clearer to the human eye. You can also time your visit based on which stars you want to see. Orion, for example, shows off his belt in the winter, whereas the Milky Way is best seen in the summer.

Start at the Flagstaff Visitor Center located on the historic Route 66, where you can get a Lunar Legacy Passport. This will give you a list of nearby spots to scout out, such as Lowell Observatory, the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and the Cinder Lake Crater Field.

There's plenty more to discover beyond the city limits. By driving 40 minutes and you could be at Meteor Crater, a 0.75-mile crater from a landscape-altering impact some 50,000 years ago. The Grand Canyon National Park is only 80 miles from Flagstaff — there the skies above are as grand as the view below.

Top tip: Lowell Observatory has added the new Astronomy Discovery Center to its offering. As one of the premier educational centres in North America, it offers a ‘universe’ theatre, an open-air planetarium with heated seats, a curiosity zone of exhibits, galleries and more. 

Flagstaff has stargazing events throughout the year. The Pluto Festival is held in mid-February; the Flagstaff Festival of Science takes place in sites across the city for 10 days in September; and American astronomer Percival Lowell’s birthday is marked by a large celebration on 13 March. Lowell Observatory runs a year-round calendar of stargazing events, and Flagstaff Sky Parties are offered throughout the year by the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition at various city locations like Buffalo Park.