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Type of place

Deserts

108 deserts: dry air, few towns, many clear nights.

2Bortle95desertAtacama DesertChileChile21.88 mag/arcsec² · Apr, Jun–Sep1Bortle94desertLibyan DesertEgyptEgypt21.90 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Jul–Oct1Bortle94desertKebira CraterEgyptEgypt21.90 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Jul–Oct1Bortle94desertTénéré desertNigerNiger21.90 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Jul–Oct1Bortle94desertSaharaMaliMali21.90 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Jul–Oct1Bortle93desertDasht-e MargoAfghanistanAfghanistan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct2Bortle93desertRamlat al-Sab`ataynYemenYemen21.85 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Mar, Oct–Dec2Bortle93desertSayhadSaudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia21.86 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Mar, Oct–Dec1Bortle93desertRub' al KhaliYemenYemen21.90 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Mar, Sep–Nov1Bortle93desertRegistan DesertAfghanistanAfghanistan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct1Bortle93desertMurzuq DesertLibyaLibya21.90 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Jul–Oct1Bortle93desertSiloli desertBoliviaBolivia21.89 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle93desertNubian DesertSudanSudan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov2Bortle93desertWestern DesertEgyptEgypt21.84 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Aug–Nov1Bortle92desertSalvador Dalí DesertBoliviaBolivia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Mar–Jun, Sep1Bortle92desertGrand Erg OccidentalAlgeriaAlgeria21.90 mag/arcsec² · Nov–Mar2Bortle92desertNamibNamibiaNamibia21.87 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep2Bortle92desertSyrian DesertIraqIraq21.81 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct1Bortle91desertKalahari DesertAngolaAngola21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle91desertTalakNigerNiger21.90 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov2Bortle91desertErg AdmerAlgeriaAlgeria21.88 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Jul–Oct1Bortle91desertTanami DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle91desertGreat Sandy DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Jun–Sep1Bortle91desertAlgerian DesertAlgeriaAlgeria21.90 mag/arcsec² · Aug, Dec–Mar1Bortle90desertErg TiffernineAlgeriaAlgeria21.89 mag/arcsec² · Jan, Mar, Aug–Oct3Bortle90desertBlack DesertEgyptEgypt21.68 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Jul–Oct1Bortle90desertEl DjoufMauritaniaMauritania21.90 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Apr, Jun, Oct1Bortle90desertKharan DesertPakistanPakistan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Dec1Bortle90desertGibson DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle90desertTanezrouftAlgeriaAlgeria21.90 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Apr, Sep–Oct1Bortle90desertLittle Sandy DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle90desertKyzyl KumKazakhstanKazakhstan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Nov2Bortle90desertPainted DesertUnited StatesUnited States21.86 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Nov2Bortle89desertKarakum DesertTurkmenistanTurkmenistan21.84 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct1Bortle89desertSimpson DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Aug2Bortle89desertCholistan DesertPakistanPakistan21.82 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Oct–Dec1Bortle89desertStrzelecki DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle89desertPedirka DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle89desertTirari-Sturt stony desertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep3Bortle89desertSinai PeninsulaEgyptEgypt21.61 mag/arcsec² · Jul–Oct1Bortle89desertSturt Stony DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle89desertPainted DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep2Bortle89desertGreat American DesertMexicoMexico21.85 mag/arcsec² · Mar–Apr, Oct–Dec2Bortle89desertBolsón de MapimíMexicoMexico21.87 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Nov2Bortle88desertChihuahuan DesertUnited StatesUnited States21.85 mag/arcsec² · Apr, Oct–Jan1Bortle88desertTirari DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep2Bortle88desertRig-e JennIranIran21.76 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct2Bortle88desertBlack Rock DesertUnited StatesUnited States21.87 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct2Bortle88desertBaja California DesertMexicoMexico21.88 mag/arcsec² · Mar–Apr, Sep–Nov3Bortle88desertEastern DesertEritreaEritrea21.55 mag/arcsec² · Jul–Nov1Bortle88desertGreat Victoria DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep1Bortle88desertTaklamakanChinaChina21.90 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Nov1Bortle88desertAlashanChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Jan2Bortle87desertSonoran DesertMexicoMexico21.70 mag/arcsec² · Mar–Apr, Sep–Nov2Bortle87desertMuyunkum DesertKazakhstanKazakhstan21.87 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Oct2Bortle87desertKachhoPakistanPakistan21.79 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Oct–Dec1Bortle87desertAlvord DesertUnited StatesUnited States21.89 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct3Bortle87desertMojave DesertUnited StatesUnited States21.68 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Nov3Bortle87desertHarrat al-ShamSaudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia21.47 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct2Bortle87desertDanakil DesertEthiopiaEthiopia21.88 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Mar, Oct–Dec3Bortle87desertWahiba SandsOmanOman21.68 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Mar, Oct–Dec2Bortle87desertOrdos DesertChinaChina21.84 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Jan1Bortle87desertKhongoryn ElsMongoliaMongolia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Jan1Bortle87desertGobi DesertChinaChina21.90 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Nov1Bortle87desertBadain Jaran DesertChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Jan1Bortle86desertBetpak-DalaKazakhstanKazakhstan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Jan1Bortle86desertAral KarakumKazakhstanKazakhstan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Jan, Sep–Nov1Bortle86desertChalbi DesertKenyaKenya21.90 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Sep, Dec–Feb2Bortle86desertMu Us DesertChinaChina21.81 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Dec2Bortle86desertThalPakistanPakistan21.73 mag/arcsec² · Oct1Bortle85desertTaukumKazakhstanKazakhstan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct2Bortle85desertGran Desierto de AltarMexicoMexico21.72 mag/arcsec² · Apr, Sep–Dec1Bortle85desertKazakh semi-desertKazakhstanKazakhstan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Jan2Bortle85desertDeath ValleyUnited StatesUnited States21.69 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Nov2Bortle85desertTengger DesertChinaChina21.85 mag/arcsec² · Dec–Jan1Bortle85desertSaryesik-Atyrau DesertKazakhstanKazakhstan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct3Bortle85desertArabahIsraelIsrael21.44 mag/arcsec² · Jul–Oct3Bortle85desertIndus Valley desertPakistanPakistan21.62 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Dec2Bortle85desertKubuqi DesertChinaChina21.72 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Jan3Bortle85desertNegevIsraelIsrael21.44 mag/arcsec² · Jul–Oct2Bortle85desertGreat Salt Lake DesertUnited StatesUnited States21.83 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Oct1Bortle85desertLop DesertChinaChina21.90 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Jan2Bortle83desertLompoul desertSenegalSenegal21.85 mag/arcsec² · Mar–May, Oct2Bortle83desertGurbantünggüt DesertChinaChina21.85 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Oct2Bortle83desertKumtag ShamoChinaChina21.86 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Nov3Bortle83desertGolodnaya SteppeUzbekistanUzbekistan21.68 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Oct2Bortle83desertRyn DesertKazakhstanKazakhstan21.87 mag/arcsec² · Jan–Feb, Sep–Nov2Bortle83desertLa Guajira DesertVenezuelaVenezuela21.80 mag/arcsec² · Jan–Mar3Bortle82desertMonegros DesertSpainSpain21.66 mag/arcsec² · Feb, Aug–Nov2Bortle82desertKumtag DesertChinaChina21.85 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Nov2Bortle81desertSechura DesertPeruPeru21.79 mag/arcsec² · Apr–Jun, Aug–Sep1Bortle80desertAralkumKazakhstanKazakhstan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Oct–Feb1Bortle80desertKaokoveldAngolaAngola21.90 mag/arcsec² · Mar–Jun2Bortle79desertKatpana DesertPakistanPakistan21.86 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Oct4Bortle79desertColorado DesertUnited StatesUnited States21.12 mag/arcsec² · Mar–Apr, Sep–Nov3Bortle79desertMédanos de Coro National ParkVenezuelaVenezuela21.54 mag/arcsec² · Jan–Mar4Bortle79desertAd-Dahna DesertSaudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia20.89 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct, Dec1Bortle79desertCarcross DesertCanadaCanada21.89 mag/arcsec² · Dec–Feb4Bortle78desertThar DesertPakistanPakistan20.96 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Mar, Oct–Dec2Bortle78desertGoravan State Nature ReservationArmeniaArmenia21.70 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Dec3Bortle76desertTabernas DesertSpainSpain21.27 mag/arcsec² · Jul–Sep, Dec1Bortle76desertSprengisandurIcelandIceland21.89 mag/arcsec² · Nov–Dec1Bortle75desertArctic desertNorwayNorway21.90 mag/arcsec² · Dec–Jan4Bortle62desertBłędów DesertPolandPoland20.58 mag/arcsec² · Mar, Sep–Oct5Bortle57desertAl Khatim DesertUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates19.61 mag/arcsec² · Sep–Oct6Bortle55desertArabian DesertJordanJordan19.40 mag/arcsec² · Feb–Apr, Oct, Dec6Bortle54desertJudaean DesertIsraelIsrael19.23 mag/arcsec² · Jul–Oct9Bortle30desertSakhirBahrainBahrain17.62 mag/arcsec² · Aug–Oct

A place enters a type from Wikidata, the light model, the sky calculations, OpenStreetMap and the sister atlases. Ordered by the Darkskyas Score.

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