United States
88 monitored cities
United States has 88 monitored cities. Chicago has the lowest current stargazing score (29). 35 cities have a current stargazing score below 40.
Stargazing snapshot
Median score
42
Dark skies
1
Moderate
52
Light polluted
35
Lightest Cities in United States
View All Lightest CitiesDarkest Cities in United States
View All Darkest CitiesUnderstanding Sky Darkness Score
Excellent
Very dark skies with minimal artificial light. Ideal for deep-sky observation.
Good
Dark skies suitable for most stargazing. Some distant glow may be visible.
Moderate
Noticeable sky glow from nearby towns. Brighter objects remain visible.
Poor
Strong light pollution limits visibility of fainter stars and the Milky Way.
Severe
Heavy urban sky glow. Only the brightest stars and planets are easy to see.
The sky darkness score runs from 0 to 100. Higher scores mean darker skies with less artificial light at night. Lower scores indicate brighter, more light-polluted skies.
Last updated: 20 Sep 16:20
