Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil has an estimated Bortle 4–5 sky (small city). The Milky Way core is highest after dark in April, at about 79°.
How dark the sky is around Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for -18.58°, -46.52°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Patos de Minas
Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil is a small city (population about 159,235). 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
No certified dark-sky place or observatory in our registry lies within 150 km of Patos de Minas. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.
Milky Way season in Patos de Minas
The bright core of the Milky Way passes almost directly overhead. It climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, peaking in April at about 79°.
- The south celestial pole stands 18.6° above the horizon, so stars within 19° of it never set from here.
- About 65.9% 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 79.6° up, passing almost directly overhead.
- The Large Magellanic Cloud only reaches about 38.9° altitude, so it is a low, seasonal target rather than a year-round one.
- At 842 m elevation, roughly 9% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.
Tonight and aurora
As of October 19, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 62% illumination. Aurora at 18.6° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Patos de Minas: common questions
Is Patos de Minas a good place for stargazing?
Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil 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). 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 Patos de Minas?
From Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil (-18.58°, -46.52°) the Milky Way's bright core climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. It peaks in April, reaching about 79°. Moonlight, cloud and city lights still decide what you actually see.
What is the best night this month for stargazing near Patos de Minas?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-10-19 the Moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 62% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.