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The best skies in May

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

1Bortle96mountainBrandbergNamibiaNamibia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle95volcanoUturuncuBoliviaBolivia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle95mountainZapaleriBoliviaBolivia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle94volcanoLlullaillacoChileChile21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle94volcanoLicancaburBoliviaBolivia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle94mountainSpitzkoppeNamibiaNamibia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle94volcanoOllagüeChileChile21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle94volcanoGuallatiri, ChileChileChile21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle93volcanoSan PedroChileChile21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle93desertSiloli desertBoliviaBolivia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle93volcanoAracarArgentinaArgentina21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle93volcanoAucanquilchaChileChile21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle93International Dark Sky ReserveNamibRand Nature ReserveNamibiaNamibia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92volcanoParinacotaChileChile21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92desertSalvador Dalí DesertBoliviaBolivia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92volcanoLascarChileChile21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92volcanoAcamarachiChileChile21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92mountainNevado SajamaBoliviaBolivia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle92desertNamibNamibiaNamibia21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92volcanoAcotangoChileChile21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle92volcanoPomerapeBoliviaBolivia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91desertKalahari DesertAngolaAngola21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle91mountainMercedarioArgentinaArgentina21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91volcanoCoropunaPeruPeru21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91mountainTata SabayaBoliviaBolivia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91desertTanami DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91volcanoMount KarthalaComorosComoros21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91volcanoSocompaChileChile21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle91volcanoAmpatoPeruPeru21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle90volcanoUbinasPeruPeru21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle90mountainAconcaguaArgentinaArgentina21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle90lakeTiticacaBoliviaBolivia21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle90mountainMafadiLesothoLesotho21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90desertGibson DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90volcanoTacoraChileChile21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90desertLittle Sandy DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90lakeLake AmadeusAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle90lakeLake KaribaZambiaZambia21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90canyonKings CanyonAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle90mountainMatobo HillsZimbabweZimbabwe21.82 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle90mountainEmba SoiraEritreaEritrea21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89desertSimpson DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89volcanoNevado MismiPeruPeru21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89mountainMount NyanganiZimbabweZimbabwe21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle89International Dark Sky ParkLapalala WildernessSouth AfricaSouth Africa21.76 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89desertStrzelecki DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89desertPedirka DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89desertTirari-Sturt stony desertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89desertSturt Stony DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89lakeDilolo LakeAngolaAngola21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89desertPainted DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle89canyonCotuahusi canionPeruPeru21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle89mountainNjesuthiLesothoLesotho21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle89mountainThabana NtlenyanaLesothoLesotho21.86 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88islandAnjouanComorosComoros21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88lakeKati Thanda–Lake EyreAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88desertTirari DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle88lakeLake ChiutaMalawiMalawi21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88mountainAusangatePeruPeru21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88mountainKata TjutaAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88mountainMonte BingaMozambiqueMozambique21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88desertGreat Victoria DesertAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88lakeLake TorrensAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle88mountainSalcantayPeruPeru21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87mountainMulanje MassifMalawiMalawi21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87volcanoHuaynaputinaPeruPeru21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87mountainVinicuncaPeruPeru21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87mountainBen AmeraMauritaniaMauritania21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87mountainMaromokotroMadagascarMadagascar21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle87islandGrande ComoreComorosComoros21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle87lakeLake ChilwaMalawiMalawi21.86 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86islandJarvis IslandUnited StatesUnited States21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle86International Dark Sky ParkWarrumbungle National ParkAustraliaAustralia21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86islandJuan de Nova IslandFranceFrance21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86islandBassas da IndiaFranceFrance21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86islandEuropa IslandMadagascarMadagascar21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle86mountainMount KosciuszkoAustraliaAustralia21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle86islandFatu HivaFranceFrance21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85volcanoMauna KeaUnited StatesUnited States21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainAoraki / Mount CookNew ZealandNew Zealand21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85mountainMount TasmanNew ZealandNew Zealand21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle85islandSouth IslandNew ZealandNew Zealand21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandMohéliComorosComoros21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandFogoCape VerdeCape Verde21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandSanta Cruz IslandEcuadorEcuador21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84volcanoPico do FogoCape VerdeCape Verde21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandHiva-OaFranceFrance21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandNuku HivaFranceFrance21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandAldabraSeychellesSeychelles21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84volcanoSantiago IslandEcuadorEcuador21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandPenrhynCook IslandsCook Islands21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84islandSan Cristóbal IslandEcuadorEcuador21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle84mountainIllampuBoliviaBolivia21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84volcanoFloreana IslandEcuadorEcuador21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle84mountainMount OssaAustraliaAustralia21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle83volcanoTaranaki MaungaNew ZealandNew Zealand21.87 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle83volcanoEspañola IslandEcuadorEcuador21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle83volcanoRábida IslandEcuadorEcuador21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle83desertLompoul desertSenegalSenegal21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle83islandNosy BeMadagascarMadagascar21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle83volcanoPinzón IslandEcuadorEcuador21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle83lakeLake AlaotraMadagascarMadagascar21.89 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle83volcanoMount RuapehuNew ZealandNew Zealand21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle83islandIsabela IslandEcuadorEcuador21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle83mountainCerro TorreArgentinaArgentina21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle82lakeLake HillierAustraliaAustralia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle82mountainCerro CatedralUruguayUruguay21.80 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle82mountainJanq'u UmaBoliviaBolivia21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle82mountainMount NgauruhoeNew ZealandNew Zealand21.88 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle82islandOkinotorishimaJapanJapan21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle82islandKangaroo IslandAustraliaAustralia21.86 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle82islandTromelin IslandFranceFrance21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle82mountainMonte San ValentinChileChile21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle81volcanoKarangetangIndonesiaIndonesia21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle81islandRaiateaFranceFrance21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle81islandCagados CarajosMauritiusMauritius21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle81lakeLagoa MirimBrazilBrazil21.85 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle81islandFernandina IslandEcuadorEcuador21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month1Bortle81islandBanaba IslandKiribatiKiribati21.90 mag/arcsec² · Best month2Bortle81desertSechura DesertPeruPeru21.79 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