Get in touch

Two doors, depending on why you're here.

Just want free tips? Start with the free guide to finding dark skies near you. It answers most of what people write in to ask, and it's yours in one click.

Tell me about the night you want

The more specific you are, the more useful my reply will be. This takes about ninety seconds.

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Asked so I can point you at the right thing rather than waste your time.

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I read every message myself. Usually a reply within two or three days.

I'm Daniel, a full-time traveler, amateur astronomer, and astrophotographer. I've spent ten years chasing dark skies across six continents and all fifty US states, and I carry a sky quality meter to take real readings in mag/arcsec² at every site I visit rather than relying on published estimates.

I'm happy to talk about light pollution, dark sky tourism, and what most people get wrong about seeing the night sky. Quotes, interviews, on-camera, or background for a piece you're already writing.

Featured in

National Geographic
Smithsonian
Travel + Leisure

50States
measured

30Countries &
territories

2013Shooting the
night sky since

What I can speak to

Light pollution, why city skies glow, and what has actually changed as lighting moved to LED.
Sky quality measurement in the field: what a meter reading means, how the Bortle scale works, and where published ratings and real readings diverge.
Dark sky tourism, the certification tiers, and which destinations deliver against their reputation.
Aurora chasing at mid latitudes, including sightings from Montana, South Dakota, and the Upper Peninsula.
Astrophotography for beginners, and what a phone can realistically capture now.
Where to actually go near any given US city, which is the question most readers really want answered.

Available for

Interviews, written or recorded
Expert quotes and background on deadline
Podcasts and panels
Photo licensing, with location and sky quality data attached
Seasonal commentary tied to meteor showers, eclipses, and aurora events

Press enquiry

Tell me your deadline and I'll tell you right away whether I can make it.

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Press messages get answered first. Same day where I can.