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The best skies in December

120 places where December is among the best months: long dark nights and clearer skies.

1Bortle94mountainMont Idoukal-n-TaghèsNigerNiger21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle94volcanoEmi KoussiChadChad21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle94mountainMount TahatAlgeriaAlgeria21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle93desertRamlat al-Sab`ataynYemenYemen21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle93desertSayhadSaudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia21.86 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle93volcanoMount TaftanIranIran21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle93mountainOuanoukrimMoroccoMorocco21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle92mountainHoggar MountainsAlgeriaAlgeria21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92desertGrand Erg OccidentalAlgeriaAlgeria21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle92mountainJbel ToubkalMoroccoMorocco21.86 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92mountainAïr MountainsNigerNiger21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91mountainMousa AliDjiboutiDjibouti21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91desertAlgerian DesertAlgeriaAlgeria21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle91mountainJabal an Nabi Shu'aybYemenYemen21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90desertKharan DesertPakistanPakistan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90mountainBarbeau PeakCanadaCanada21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle90lakeLake TanaEthiopiaEthiopia21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90lakeYamdrok LakeChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90canyonGreenland's Grand CanyonGreenlandGreenland21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90mountainKula KangriBhutanBhutan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle90International Dark Sky ParkGrand Canyon National ParkUnited StatesUnited States21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90mountainGangkhar PuensumBhutanBhutan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90mountainEmba SoiraEritreaEritrea21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle89desertCholistan DesertPakistanPakistan21.82 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle89mountainM'GounMoroccoMorocco21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle89International Dark Sky ParkBryce Canyon National ParkUnited StatesUnited States21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89lakeLake AbbeEthiopiaEthiopia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89canyonArak gorgesAlgeriaAlgeria21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle89desertGreat American DesertMexicoMexico21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle88desertChihuahuan DesertUnited StatesUnited States21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88mountainMount KailashChinaChina21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88lakeLake ChadChadChad21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88mountainPeak Pobeda, SakhaRussiaRussia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88mountainNabro VolcanoEritreaEritrea21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle88International Dark Sky ParkKodachrome Basin State ParkUnited StatesUnited States21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88lakeNamtsoChinaChina21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle88mountainPico TurquinoCubaCuba21.84 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88desertAlashanChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87mountainOtgontengerMongoliaMongolia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87desertKachhoPakistanPakistan21.79 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87mountainChappal WaddiNigeriaNigeria21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87mountainMount WutaiChinaChina21.77 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87International Dark Sky ParkBig Bend National ParkUnited StatesUnited States21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87mountainMount TenakourouMaliMali21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87volcanoHanish IslandsYemenYemen21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87desertDanakil DesertEthiopiaEthiopia21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87mountainMount GonggaChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month3Bortle87desertWahiba SandsOmanOman21.68 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87lakeLake BamBurkina FasoBurkina Faso21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87lakeQinghai LakeChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87mountainMont SokbaroBeninBenin21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87desertOrdos DesertChinaChina21.84 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87desertKhongoryn ElsMongoliaMongolia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87desertBadain Jaran DesertChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87canyonDadès GorgesMoroccoMorocco21.86 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle86lakeLake KompiengaBurkina FasoBurkina Faso21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86mountainKinyetiSouth SudanSouth Sudan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86volcanoHayli GubbiEthiopiaEthiopia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86desertBetpak-DalaKazakhstanKazakhstan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86desertChalbi DesertKenyaKenya21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86mountainMount BintumaniSierra LeoneSierra Leone21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86lakeKainji LakeNigeriaNigeria21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86mountainJongsong PeakChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle86International Dark Sky CommunitySilver CliffUnited StatesUnited States21.78 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle86islandGonâve IslandHaitiHaiti21.86 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle86International Dark Sky CommunityWestcliffeUnited StatesUnited States21.77 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle86desertMu Us DesertChinaChina21.81 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle86volcanoErta AleEthiopiaEthiopia21.80 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainChomolhariBhutanBhutan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85islandAxel Heiberg IslandCanadaCanada21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle85mountainPico PosetsSpainSpain21.83 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle85desertGran Desierto de AltarMexicoMexico21.72 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85desertKazakh semi-desertKazakhstanKazakhstan21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle85lakeChott MelrhirAlgeriaAlgeria21.74 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainBurkhan KhaldunMongoliaMongolia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle85desertTengger DesertChinaChina21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle85lakeHeaven LakeChinaChina21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainManasluNepalNepal21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainAnnapurna IINepalNepal21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85volcanoMount ElgonUgandaUganda21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainMount EverestChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month3Bortle85desertIndus Valley desertPakistanPakistan21.62 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainAnnapurna INepalNepal21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85islandEllesmere IslandCanadaCanada21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainHimalchuliNepalNepal21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle85desertKubuqi DesertChinaChina21.72 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle85mountainMount AgouTogoTogo21.76 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle85lakeIndawgyi LakeMyanmarMyanmar21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainPumoriChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainGyachung KangChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85desertLop DesertChinaChina21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainChamlangNepalNepal21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainMount Richard-MolardGuineaGuinea21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84lakeLake NoSouth SudanSouth Sudan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainDenaliUnited StatesUnited States21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainChangtseChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month3Bortle84volcanoTecuamburroGuatemalaGuatemala21.67 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainMonkh SaridagRussiaRussia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainMount ForakerUnited StatesUnited States21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainMount WuteveLiberiaLiberia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84canyonYolyn AmMongoliaMongolia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84mountainMount BazardüzüAzerbaijanAzerbaijan21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandCat IslandBahamasBahamas21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandWake IslandUnited StatesUnited States21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84islandBarbudaAntigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda21.83 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainGunnbjørn FjeldGreenlandGreenland21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84mountainPeak la SelleHaitiHaiti21.74 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84mountainMonte PerdidoSpainSpain21.82 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84mountainMugalzharKazakhstanKazakhstan21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainThor PeakCanadaCanada21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84mountainKoshtan-TauRussiaRussia21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84lakeLake TurkanaEthiopiaEthiopia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84International Dark Sky SanctuaryRainbow Bridge National MonumentUnited StatesUnited States21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainBelukha MountainRussiaRussia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainChomo LonzoChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainKanchenjungaNepalNepal21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainMont NgaouiCentral African RepublicCentral African Republic21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainCho OyuChinaChina21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainHüiten PeakMongoliaMongolia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84mountainAma DablamNepalNepal21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month

Best months: dark hours × clear sky (NASA, 2001–2020) × the Milky Way. Check the Moon before you go.

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