On a clear, moonless night in Yosemite Valley, the sky turns on in a way most people have never seen before. You’ll see far more stars than you’re used to in the city, with big constellations like Orion and the Big Dipper standing out clearly, and in the right season a hazy band of the Milky Way stretching across the sky. The granite walls of El Capitan and Half Dome become dark silhouettes framing the stars, while bright planets, the Pleiades, and even the faint Andromeda Galaxy appear with a little guidance and a laser pointer. You’ll likely catch a few shooting stars or satellites drifting by, all while the valley itself quiets down: cool air dropping off the cliffs, the river in the background, and the feeling that almost everyone else has gone to bed and left this version of Yosemite just for you.