Interactive US Light Pollution Map & Bortle Dark Sky Scale Finder
Welcome to the ultimate directory and interactive light pollution map. This platform provides real-time
astronomical data, sky quality measurements, and bortle scale map information for US National Parks and pristine stargazing destinations.
Artificial Night Sky Glow & Night Pollution Maps
A night pollution map (or pollution light map) illustrates human-made artificial sky glow.
By looking at a bortle dark sky scale map, stargazers and astrophotographers can locate remote
Class 1 and Class 2 locations where the core of the Milky Way is fully visible to the naked eye.
The Bortle Scale Reference Guide
- Class 1 (Excellent Dark Sky Site): Sky brightness < 21.9 mag/arcsec². Perfect darkness, airglow visible.
- Class 2 (Truly Dark Sky Site): Sky brightness 21.5 - 21.9. Beautiful structural details in the Milky Way.
- Class 3 (Rural Sky): Sky brightness 21.3 - 21.5. Milky Way still shows intricate detail overhead.
- Class 4 (Rural/Suburban Transition): Sky brightness 20.4 - 21.3. Light domes visible at horizons.
- Class 5 (Suburban Sky): Sky brightness 19.5 - 20.4. Milky Way is washed out or invisible.
- Class 6 (Bright Suburban Sky): Sky brightness 18.5 - 19.5. Only hints of Milky Way at zenith.
- Class 7 (Suburban/Urban Transition): Sky brightness 18.0 - 18.5. Only major constellations visible.
- Class 8 (City Sky): Sky brightness 17.5 - 18.0. Heavily illuminated white or orange sky glow.
- Class 9 (Inner-City Sky): Sky brightness < 17.5. Almost all stars and constellations are invisible.
About lightpollutionmap.info and Stargazing Features
Our application integrates geographical data similar to lightpollutionmap info, offering additional layer support:
toggle Night Lights maps, hide or show Map Labels, and use Auto-Fit Map to auto-zoom on active stargazing spots.
Each location shows coordinates, elevation, live cloud cover forecasts, and optimal viewing hour windows.