{"id":115856,"date":"2026-04-13T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=115856"},"modified":"2026-04-13T09:34:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T13:34:31","slug":"next-night-sky-photography-location","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/next-night-sky-photography-location\/","title":{"rendered":"Bye, Light Pollution: How to Find Your Next Night Sky Photography Location"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Night sky photography and astrophotography make great getaways from the city. Light pollution gets worse every year, but there are still places where you can see many stars within an hour or two of most locations. Noctourism is rising, so more dark sky places are offering overnight accommodations as well. Finding the perfect spot for night sky photography means looking for a great field of view, avoiding light pollution, and picking the right time to go. I\u2019ll help you find the clearest views with minimal light pollution for your next night sky photography outing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Dark is Dark Enough for Night Sky Photos: The Bortle Scale <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Bortle 5 skies tend to show more light glow and fewer stars than Bortle 4 locations.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before you get started with night sky photography<\/a>, you need to know about the Bortle Scale. Much of how dark is dark enough depends on what you want to photograph. For example, the moon usually only requires a short trip out of even the biggest cities. However, for stars, planets, and the Milky Way, you\u2019ll need to head for less populated areas and even avoid the moon in many cases. Sky light levels and light pollution are often visualized using the Bortle Scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the Bortle Scale Works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Bortle Scale estimates the light pollution in an area and measures it in 9 levels. Class 9 is the worst, and common in large cities, where the sky is washed out, and the moon might not even be visible. Class 1 is a dark sky location with little to no light pollution, and the sky is awash with stars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Can See at Each Bortle Scale Level<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bortle Scale Summary<\/td><\/tr>
<\/td>Areas Typical of Each Class*<\/td>Faintest Magnitude Visible on Moonless Clear Night<\/td><\/tr>
Class 9<\/strong><\/td>Inner City<\/td>> 4.0<\/td><\/tr>
Class 8<\/strong><\/td>City<\/td>4.1 to 4.5<\/td><\/tr>
Class 7<\/strong><\/td>Urban\/Suburban Transition<\/td>4.6 to 5.0<\/td><\/tr>
Class 6<\/strong><\/td>Bright Suburban<\/td>5.1 to 5.5<\/td><\/tr>
The Milky Way begins to become visible.<\/td><\/tr>
Class 5<\/strong><\/td>Suburban<\/td>5.6 to 6.0<\/td><\/tr>
Class 4<\/strong><\/td>Suburban\/Rural Transition<\/td>6.1 to 6.5<\/td><\/tr>
Clusters M15, M4, M5, and M22 are becoming visible.<\/td><\/tr>
Class 3<\/strong><\/td>Rural<\/td>6.6 to 7.0<\/td><\/tr>
Zodiacal light increases.<\/td><\/tr>
Class 2<\/strong><\/td>Typical Dark Sky<\/td>7.1 to 7.5<\/td><\/tr>
The Milky Way becomes structured and detailed.<\/td><\/tr>
Class 1<\/strong><\/td>Excellent Dark Sky<\/td>7.6 or greater<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

*Note that small cities may score more like suburban areas if isolated, and rural farmland could score higher like suburban areas if in close proximity to large cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding a Night Sky Photo Location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Milky Way becomes more strongly visible in a Bortle 3 sky, although long exposure photographs show it more clearly than looking with the naked eye.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re not alone in hunting a great night sky viewpoint. Besides photographers, stargazers and astronomy buffs are all interested in those same views. Dark sky parks, astronomy club events, state and federal parks, and private groups offer great access to the night sky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What To Look For in a Night Sky Photography Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The moon is a great night photography subject, but its glow washes out the visibility of many stars.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Picking a spot with a wide field of view and as few obstacles as possible makes night sky photography much easier. Often, this means looking for open fields, scenic mountain overlooks, or lakes where there is little between you and the horizon. Here is my checklist for finding a great night photo spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n