MNN - Mother Nature Network

When many of us turn our eyes toward the night sky, we see a yellowish-grey swatch sweeping across the horizon with an occasional brightly lit planet blinking as if on low-batteries. The sweeping landscape of the Milky Way, so familiar to our ancestors, has become the stuff of mountain vacations and desert sojourns. But there are still several lovely dark spots in the United States and beyond. Here are seven prime viewing areas to consider.