Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Barkam, Sichuan, China
Barkam, Sichuan, China has an estimated Bortle 1–4 sky (small town). The Milky Way core is highest after dark in April, at about 29°.
How dark the sky is around Barkam, Sichuan, China, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for 31.90°, 102.22°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Barkam
Barkam, Sichuan, China is a small town (population about 58,390). A place this size typically has a rural sky: the Milky Way is usually visible on clear, moonless nights away from local lighting. That is an estimate of Bortle class 1–4 from population, not a measurement: the real value depends on the exact spot you observe from.
For a measured reading at any point, open the live Dark Sky map.
Nearest dark-sky places and observatories
No certified dark-sky place or observatory in our registry lies within 150 km of Barkam. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.
Milky Way season in Barkam
The bright core of the Milky Way stays low, so you need a clear southern or northern horizon. It climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, peaking in April at about 29°.
- The north celestial pole stands 31.9° above the horizon, so stars within 32° of it never set from here.
- About 76.4% of the whole sky rises above the horizon at some point in the year from this latitude.
- The Milky Way's core in Sagittarius culminates about 29.1° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 2621 m elevation, roughly 27% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.
Tonight and aurora
As of October 14, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 17% illumination. Aurora at 31.9° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Barkam: common questions
Is Barkam a good place for stargazing?
Barkam, Sichuan, China is a small town, so its typical sky is rural sky: the Milky Way is usually visible on clear, moonless nights away from local lighting (an estimate of Bortle 1–4 from population, not a measurement). No certified dark-sky place or observatory in our registry lies within 150 km, so a dark site means driving away from the city's glow toward the darkest horizon you can reach.
When can you see the Milky Way from Barkam?
From Barkam, Sichuan, China (31.90°, 102.22°) the Milky Way's bright core climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in March, April, May, June, July, August, September. It peaks in April, reaching about 29°. Moonlight, cloud and city lights still decide what you actually see.
What is the best night this month for stargazing near Barkam?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-10-14 the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 17% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.