Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Dandong, Liaoning, China
Dandong, Liaoning, China has an estimated Bortle 5–6 sky (mid-sized city). The Milky Way core is highest after dark in June, at about 21°.
How dark the sky is around Dandong, Liaoning, China, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for 40.13°, 124.39°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Dandong
Dandong, Liaoning, China is a mid-sized city (population about 631,973). A place this size typically has a bright suburban sky: main constellations are easy, the Milky Way is washed out. That is an estimate of Bortle class 5–6 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 Dandong. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.
Milky Way season in Dandong
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 April, May, June, July, August, peaking in June at about 21°.
- The north celestial pole stands 40.1° above the horizon, so stars within 40° of it never set from here.
- About 82.2% 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 20.9° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 10 m elevation, roughly 0% 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 12% illumination. Aurora at 40.1° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Dandong: common questions
Is Dandong a good place for stargazing?
Dandong, Liaoning, China is a mid-sized city, so its typical sky is bright suburban sky: main constellations are easy, the Milky Way is washed out (an estimate of Bortle 5–6 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 Dandong?
From Dandong, Liaoning, China (40.13°, 124.39°) the Milky Way's bright core climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in April, May, June, July, August. It peaks in June, reaching about 21°. Moonlight, cloud and city lights still decide what you actually see.
What is the best night this month for stargazing near Dandong?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-10-14 the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 12% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.