Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea has an estimated Bortle 4–5 sky (small city). The Milky Way core is highest after dark in June, at about 25°.
How dark the sky is around Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for 36.12°, 128.12°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Gimcheon
Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea is a small city (population about 150,000). A place this size typically has a rural to suburban transition: the Milky Way core can be glimpsed on clear, moonless nights. That is an estimate of Bortle class 4–5 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
- Yeongyang Firefly Dark Sky Park · certified dark-sky place · about 106 km away
Milky Way season in Gimcheon
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, peaking in June at about 25°.
- The north celestial pole stands 36.1° above the horizon, so stars within 36° of it never set from here.
- About 79.5% 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 24.9° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 81 m elevation, roughly 1% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.
Tonight and aurora
As of October 16, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 32% illumination. Aurora at 36.1° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Gimcheon: common questions
Is Gimcheon a good place for stargazing?
Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea is a small city, so its typical sky is rural to suburban transition: the Milky Way core can be glimpsed on clear, moonless nights (an estimate of Bortle 4–5 from population, not a measurement). The nearest certified dark-sky place or observatory in our registry is Yeongyang Firefly Dark Sky Park, about 106 km away.
When can you see the Milky Way from Gimcheon?
From Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea (36.12°, 128.12°) the Milky Way's bright core climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in March, April, May, June, July, August. It peaks in June, reaching about 25°. Moonlight, cloud and city lights still decide what you actually see.
What is the best night this month for stargazing near Gimcheon?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-10-16 the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 32% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.