Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Oulad Ayad, Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Morocco
Oulad Ayad, Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Morocco 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 Oulad Ayad, Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Morocco, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for 32.20°, -6.80°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Oulad Ayad
Oulad Ayad, Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Morocco is a small town (population about 26,008). 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
- Oukaïmeden Observatory · observatory · about 150 km away
Milky Way season in Oulad Ayad
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 32.2° above the horizon, so stars within 32° of it never set from here.
- About 76.6% 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 28.8° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 450 m elevation, roughly 5% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.
Tonight and aurora
As of November 6, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waning Crescent at 7% illumination. Aurora at 32.2° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Oulad Ayad: common questions
Is Oulad Ayad a good place for stargazing?
Oulad Ayad, Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Morocco 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). The nearest certified dark-sky place or observatory in our registry is Oukaïmeden Observatory, about 150 km away.
When can you see the Milky Way from Oulad Ayad?
From Oulad Ayad, Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Morocco (32.20°, -6.80°) 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 Oulad Ayad?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-11-06 the Moon is a Waning Crescent at 7% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.