This North Carolina Geo Dome Lets You Sleep Under the Stars

I grew up in a big city, so I never knew what a true dark sky looked like. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-twenties that I found myself in a remote area in the Berkshires watching the Perseid Meteor shower, truly amazed at how many stars were in the sky. Since then, I've put in countless hours capturing the night sky with my camera. April is Global Astronomy Month, and astrophotographers all across the country are cleaning their lenses in anticipation of the Milky Way season. This Geo Dome in North Carolina would be the perfect place to spend a few nights stargazing. Let’s check it out:

This funky little Airbnb in North Topsail Beach is the perfect place to stargaze, and it’s also a great place for a beach vacation. It’s the best of both worlds! 

The Seaside Stargazer is a dome-style home located directly on the ocean. It boasts six bedrooms and can comfortably sleep 14 people—and it has parking for up to eight cars! 

During the day, you’ll be spoiled with unparalleled ocean views, your own private beach, and some of the most magical sunsets and sunrises you’ve ever seen. Topsail is a great spot for beachcombing. You could easily find beautiful seashells and sharks’ teeth here!

My favorite part of the Seaside Stargazer Airbnb is the 4th-floor indoor crow’s nest. You’d catch me in a hammock, watching with a coffee every single morning. And evening, if we’re being honest. 

Once night falls, head out to the beach (or hang out in the hot tub) and enjoy a night of beachside stargazing in North Carolina. If you’re hoping to capture the moment in a photo, you’ll need a sturdy tripod and a good camera/lens combo that can handle the low light.

I have a Sony A7III paired with a Tamron 17-28. I primarily shoot the Northern Lights in the winter months, but it handles a starry night with ease. I also have a Canon G7X Mark II that does better than it should in low light! It's my go-to camera for timelapses.

I can’t stress the importance of a good tripod, guys. Camera equipment is expensive, and the last thing you want is to mount your $2,000 camera on a $12 tripod from Temu. When it falls (and it will fall), it will ruin your night camera. 

Let’s talk camera settings. If you want to take photos of the night sky, you’ll want to put your camera in manual mode and play around with the settings. I won’t get into the 500 rule or get too technical here, but the basics for stargazing camera settings are: 

• Aperture: at least f/2.8 
• Shutter Speed: 25 seconds
• ISO: 1600

The goal is to keep the ISO as low as possible (which reduces noise) while keeping your shutter speed under 30 seconds (to prevent star trails). Of course, you could get super nerdy with this and get a tracker and all sorts of expensive doodads, but that’s above my pay grade. 

A tripod is necessary. Try to take a handheld photo with a 25-second shutter speed, and you’ll understand why.

Of course, you could have all of your gear ready to rock, and Mother Nature could throw you a curveball: clouds. It never fails. I’d recommend spending at least three nights at the Seaside Stargazer to increase your odds of clear skies. Moon phases are also worth keeping in mind, as the full moon can really drown out the dark sky. April 12 is the next full moon, followed by May 12. Full moons don’t always happen on the 12th; that’s just a cosmic coincidence. 

Visit the Airbnb listing of the Seaside Stargazer to check availability, and drop this article in the group chat to see who else wants to join you on your beachside stargazing weekend in North Carolina!

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.