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darkskyas
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Ranking

The darkest skies.

The 200 natural places with the darkest estimated usual sky, in mag/arcsec² at the zenith.

1Pitcairn IslandsUnited Kingdom · International Dark Sky Sanctuary1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²2SaharaMali · desert1Bortle9421.90mag/arcsec²3Wood Buffalo National ParkCanada · dark-sky preserve1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²4Lake TanganyikaZambia · lake1Bortle8521.90mag/arcsec²5FunafutiTuvalu · island1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²6Gobi DesertChina · desert1Bortle8721.90mag/arcsec²7SakhalinRussia · island1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²8Jan MayenNorway · island1Bortle7121.90mag/arcsec²9SocotraYemen · island1Bortle8621.90mag/arcsec²10K2Pakistan · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²11Wake IslandUnited States · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²12Kalahari DesertAngola · desert1Bortle9121.90mag/arcsec²13Lake TurkanaEthiopia · lake1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²14Bouvet IslandNorway · island1Bortle7321.90mag/arcsec²15DenaliUnited States · mountain1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²16South IslandNew Zealand · island1Bortle8521.90mag/arcsec²17Baffin IslandCanada · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²18TaklamakanChina · desert1Bortle8821.90mag/arcsec²19Mount KailashChina · mountain1Bortle8821.90mag/arcsec²20Lord Howe IslandAustralia · island1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²21Clipperton IslandFrance · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²22Lake AlbertUganda · lake1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²23Ellesmere IslandCanada · island1Bortle8521.90mag/arcsec²24Jarvis IslandUnited States · island1Bortle8621.90mag/arcsec²25Palmyra AtollUnited States · island1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²26New BritainPapua New Guinea · island1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²27Kingman ReefUnited States · island1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²28Victoria IslandCanada · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²29Great Victoria DesertAustralia · desert1Bortle8821.90mag/arcsec²30Broad PeakChina · mountain1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²31Johnston AtollUnited States · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²32SpitsbergenNorway · island1Bortle7521.90mag/arcsec²33Mount LoganCanada · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²34Great Slave LakeCanada · lake1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²35Coco IslandCosta Rica · island1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²36Mount RoraimaGuyana · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²37Ojos del SaladoArgentina · mountain1Bortle9121.90mag/arcsec²38GasherbrumPakistan · mountain1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²39Kati Thanda–Lake EyreAustralia · lake1Bortle8821.90mag/arcsec²40TarawaKiribati · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²41Gasherbrum IIPakistan · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²42Banks IslandCanada · island1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²43Rub' al KhaliYemen · desert1Bortle9321.90mag/arcsec²44KiritimatiKiribati · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²45Aoraki / Mount CookNew Zealand · mountain1Bortle8521.90mag/arcsec²46Lake MweruDR Congo · lake1Bortle8821.90mag/arcsec²47Ismoil Somoni PeakTajikistan · mountain1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²48Uvs LakeRussia · lake1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²49Devon IslandCanada · island1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²50KavarattiIndia · island1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²51Libyan DesertEgypt · desert1Bortle9421.90mag/arcsec²52Bougainville IslandPapua New Guinea · island1Bortle7421.90mag/arcsec²53Gangkhar PuensumBhutan · mountain1Bortle9021.90mag/arcsec²54Khan TengriChina · mountain1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²55Bear IslandNorway · island1Bortle7321.90mag/arcsec²56AldabraSeychelles · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²57Belukha MountainRussia · mountain1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²58Henderson IslandUnited Kingdom · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²59Gough IslandUnited Kingdom · island1Bortle7521.90mag/arcsec²60Île AmsterdamFrance · volcano1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²61UpoluSamoa · island1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²62Klyuchevskaya SopkaRussia · volcano1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²63GrímsvötnIceland · volcano1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²64Khövsgöl LakeMongolia · lake1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²65Melville IslandCanada · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²66SeramIndonesia · island1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²67Ball's PyramidAustralia · volcano1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²68New IrelandPapua New Guinea · island1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²69Axel Heiberg IslandCanada · island1Bortle8521.90mag/arcsec²70AnjouanComoros · island1Bortle8821.90mag/arcsec²71Terich MirPakistan · mountain1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²72West IslandAustralia · island1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²73Kodiak IslandUnited States · island1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²74Southampton IslandCanada · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²75Putorana PlateauRussia · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²76Europa IslandMadagascar · island1Bortle8621.90mag/arcsec²77Grande ComoreComoros · island1Bortle8721.90mag/arcsec²78Aïr MountainsNiger · mountain1Bortle9221.90mag/arcsec²79Savai'iSamoa · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²80NoshaqPakistan · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²81Lake AthabascaCanada · lake1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²82Prince of Wales IslandCanada · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²83LlullaillacoChile · volcano1Bortle9421.90mag/arcsec²84Burkhan KhaldunMongolia · mountain1Bortle8521.90mag/arcsec²85HvannadalshnúkurIceland · mountain1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²86Jengish ChokusuKyrgyzstan · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²87Île Saint-PaulFrance · volcano1Bortle7521.90mag/arcsec²88Great Sandy DesertAustralia · desert1Bortle9121.90mag/arcsec²89Buru IslandIndonesia · island1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²90MohéliComoros · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²91TongatapuTonga · island1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²92Bering IslandRussia · island1Bortle7321.90mag/arcsec²93Mount Fitz RoyChile · mountain1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²94StreymoyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7221.90mag/arcsec²95VágarFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7321.90mag/arcsec²96FogoCape Verde · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²97Isabela IslandEcuador · island1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²98EysturoyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7221.90mag/arcsec²99Vanua LevuFiji · island1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²100KosraeMicronesia · island1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²101Vaygach IslandRussia · island1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²102Nubian DesertSudan · desert1Bortle9321.90mag/arcsec²103King William IslandCanada · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²104Prince Patrick IslandCanada · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²105South GeorgiaUnited Kingdom · island1Bortle7121.90mag/arcsec²106San Cristóbal IslandEcuador · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²107Boa VistaCape Verde · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²108Juan de Nova IslandFrance · island1Bortle8621.90mag/arcsec²109AskjaIceland · volcano1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²110BárðarbungaIceland · volcano1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²111Banaba IslandKiribati · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²112Gibson DesertAustralia · desert1Bortle9021.90mag/arcsec²113NamtsoChina · lake1Bortle8821.90mag/arcsec²114Somerset IslandCanada · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²115IturupRussia · island1Bortle7421.90mag/arcsec²116Bassas da IndiaFrance · island1Bortle8621.90mag/arcsec²117St. Lawrence IslandUnited States · island1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²118Espiritu SantoVanuatu · island1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²119KolturFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7321.90mag/arcsec²120Tromelin IslandFrance · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²121TutuilaUnited States · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²122Anticosti IslandCanada · island1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²123Lake ZaysanKazakhstan · lake1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²124Simpson DesertAustralia · desert1Bortle8921.90mag/arcsec²125AralkumKazakhstan · desert1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²126TaymyrRussia · lake1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²127BorðoyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7221.90mag/arcsec²128Lítla DímunFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7521.90mag/arcsec²129NordaustlandetNorway · island1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²130SuðuroyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7421.90mag/arcsec²131Robinson Crusoe IslandChile · island1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²132Bolshevik IslandRussia · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²133East RennellSolomon Islands · island1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²134Viedma LakeChile · lake1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²135Fernandina IslandEcuador · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²136Hiva-OaFrance · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²137MinamitorishimaJapan · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²138Lenin PeakTajikistan · mountain1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²139BabeldaobPalau · island1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²140October Revolution IslandRussia · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²141Kotelny IslandRussia · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²142Hans IslandCanada · island1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²143ÖræfajökullIceland · volcano1Bortle7921.90mag/arcsec²144JökulsárlónIceland · lake1Bortle7521.90mag/arcsec²145Nuku HivaFrance · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²146Pico do FogoCape Verde · volcano1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²147AtafuTokelau · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²148BeerenbergNorway · volcano1Bortle7421.90mag/arcsec²149Rukwa LakeTanzania · lake1Bortle8921.90mag/arcsec²150SandoyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7221.90mag/arcsec²151Kolepom IslandIndonesia · island1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²152Cerro TorreArgentina · mountain1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²153Ténéré desertNiger · desert1Bortle9421.90mag/arcsec²154Mount ElgonUganda · volcano1Bortle8521.90mag/arcsec²155Inaccessible IslandUnited Kingdom · volcano1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²156Mount Saint EliasUnited States · mountain1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²157HesturFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7421.90mag/arcsec²158Severny IslandRussia · island1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²159Bathurst IslandCanada · island1Bortle8321.90mag/arcsec²160MoruroaFrance · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²161RaiateaFrance · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²162Emi KoussiChad · volcano1Bortle9421.90mag/arcsec²163Adrar des IfoghasAlgeria · mountain1Bortle9021.90mag/arcsec²164Pico da NeblinaVenezuela · mountain1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²165Mount NarodnayaRussia · mountain1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²166KalsoyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7221.90mag/arcsec²167MykinesFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7421.90mag/arcsec²168Ellef Ringnes IslandCanada · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²169Kolguyev IslandRussia · island1Bortle7521.90mag/arcsec²170NólsoyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7321.90mag/arcsec²171BravaCape Verde · island1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²172Bylot IslandCanada · island1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²173EdgeøyaNorway · island1Bortle7521.90mag/arcsec²174Malpelo IslandColombia · island1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²175NanumeaTuvalu · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²176Kaffeklubben IslandGreenland · island1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²177Muztagh AtaChina · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²178FugloyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7321.90mag/arcsec²179ViðoyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7321.90mag/arcsec²180KunoyFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7121.90mag/arcsec²181Isla de los EstadosArgentina · island1Bortle7121.90mag/arcsec²182Flores IslandPortugal · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²183Hkakabo RaziMyanmar · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²184Lake Mai-NdombeDR Congo · lake1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²185AgalégaMauritius · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²186Guadalupe IslandMexico · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²187ShiveluchRussia · volcano1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²188Mount WilhelmPapua New Guinea · mountain1Bortle8121.90mag/arcsec²189Kongur TaghChina · mountain1Bortle8221.90mag/arcsec²190Stóra DímunFaroe Islands · island1Bortle7421.90mag/arcsec²191TubuaiFrance · island1Bortle7621.90mag/arcsec²192HuahineFrance · island1Bortle8021.90mag/arcsec²193East FalklandUnited Kingdom · island1Bortle7721.90mag/arcsec²194Floreana IslandEcuador · volcano1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²195Kata TjutaAustralia · mountain1Bortle8821.90mag/arcsec²196Snares Islands/Tini HekeNew Zealand · island1Bortle7421.90mag/arcsec²197Fatu HivaFrance · island1Bortle8621.90mag/arcsec²198Corvo IslandPortugal · island1Bortle7821.90mag/arcsec²199Gunnbjørn FjeldGreenland · mountain1Bortle8421.90mag/arcsec²200PohnpeiMicronesia · island1Bortle7521.90mag/arcsec²

Estimate with no Moon and no clouds (light model on NASA Black Marble 2016). Remote places with no measurements may differ by a few tenths.

The family

Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?

Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.

beachesCoastyaFind your beach: sea temperature, sun and swimming month by month.Visit lakesLakeyasEvery lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountainsPeakyasEvery summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit waterfallsCascadyasEvery waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit islandsIslandyasEvery island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit riversRiveryasEvery river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit canyonsCanyonyasEvery canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit cavesCavernyasEvery cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit
dark skiesDarkskyasWhere the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.You are here
viewpointsViewyasEvery viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit
birdwatchingBirdyasEvery bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.Coming soonVisit
forestsForestyaEvery forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit