Sortable Listing of All Dark Sites
While the light pollution map is great for guiding you to a general area for stargazing, sometimes it’s better to have a specific site in mind. If others have successfully observed the heavens from a site, then you know you’re not wasting your time by driving there. That’s what this section is for.
The ideal dark sky observing site should:
- Be safe and publicly accessible, not on private property
- Have a clear view of the sky with few obstructions such as trees, buildings, etc.
- Not have any bright, unshielded lights in the immediate area
- Allow camping. Although campgrounds often have too many trees to observe from directly.
Each of the dark site pages has a description, a link to the website, and photos. Other helpful links are tied to the GPS coordinates to provide precise information.
– View dark site on light pollution map
– Get directions on Google Maps
– National Weather Service Forecast (US only)
– Cloud and stargazing forecast on Clear Outside
– Satellite pass predictions
– Sunset, sunrise, moonset, moonrise, and twilight times
Add A New Dark Site
Do you have a favorite dark site that you’ve used to observe the stars?
Each of the dark site pages also allow comments if you have updated information to add.