Let’s face it: Some U.S. states are much better locations for stargazing than others.
For example, states in the western U.S. generally have less light pollution than their eastern counterparts. That means the skies are darker and celestial objects are easier to see.
Weather also plays a key role in stargazing, and, of course, some states simply have a higher number of cloudy nights than others.
Whether you’re planning some local stargazing or hope to enjoy looking at the night sky on vacation, it helps to know which states are best for the activity.
To help with your planning, the staff at American Casino Guide compiled a list of the top 10 U.S. states for stargazing.
How The List Was Compiled
First, the staff analyzed a light pollution map of the United States to determine the light pollution level for each state, as well as the counties in each state, American Casino Guide told TravelAwaits.
They also used the nine-level Bortle Dark-Sky Scale to measure the night sky’s brightness at particular locations. That scale, which ranges from Class 1 (the darkest skies on Earth) to Class 9 (inner-city skies) quantifies the quality of the night sky for viewing celestial objects.
Next, the staff analyzed each state’s cloud cover by studying maps made from NASA satellite observations.
Those maps from NASA Earth Observations (NEO) show how much of Earth’s surface is covered by clouds. The staff used monthly images from the past 3 years to reduce the impact of seasonal change, according to American Casino Guide.
Finally, a score was compiled for every county in each state by averaging its Bortle Dark-Sky Scale ranking and mean cloud coverage. The scores for each state are the result of the average of the scores for its counties.
The Top 10 U.S. States For Stargazing
Based on the American Casino Guide’s research, here are the top 10 states for stargazing:
- South Dakota
- Wyoming
- Alaska
- Montana
- Arizona
- Nevada
- North Dakota
- New Mexico
- Nebraska
- Oregon
Key Findings
It’s no wonder American Casino Guide determined South Dakota the best state for stargazing — more than half of the state has a Bortle Dark-Sky Scale classification between Classes 1 and 3. Plus, with just 11.65 percent of the nights obscured by cloud cover, “it is extremely likely that there will be a clear view of the stars and constellations,” American Casino Guide told TravelAwaits.
Wyoming, South Dakota’s neighbor, scored nearly the same — primarily because 46 percent of the state received Bortle Dark-Sky Scale 1, 2, or 3 classifications, according to American Casino Guide. One reason for those scores is that Wyoming is one of the U.S. states with laws limiting light pollution.
Finally, during the winter months, Alaska is also nearly perfect for stargazing. Not only is a significant portion of the state within Bortle Dark-Sky Scale classifications of 1–3, “there is just 11.30 percent of cloud coverage per year in Alaska, solidifying its position in third place,” American Casino Guide told TravelAwaits.
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