Star Light, Star Bright To have a real celestial experience, get away from urban hotspots By Sophie Goldstein Posted Aug 26, 2007 7:07 AM CDT Copied The drinking gourd was how slaves described the constellation commonly called the Big Dipper. They knew that it pointed to the North Star, or Polaris, the fixed star in the sky used for navigation. (KRT Photos) There's no better season than summer for sleeping outdoors under the stars. Get your fill of the Big Dipper at USA Today's ideal star-gazing spots: Assateague Island National Seashore, Md./Va. Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah Big Bend National Park, Texas Sequoia High Sierra Camp, Giant Sequoia National Monument, Calif. Loreto Bay, Baja California, Mexico Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua, West Indies Denali National Park, Alaska Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM Lake Superior, Minn. Singita Lebombo Lodge, Kruger National Park, South Africa Read These Next Defense officials react to Hegseth's Quantico meeting. Colorado wants to give 'peace of mind' on Hunter S. Thompson. Government shutdown is here. Here's what to expect. Turns out life on the California coast isn't always breezy. Report an error