Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Qingyang, Gansu, China
Qingyang, Gansu, China has an estimated Bortle 7–9 sky (large metropolitan area). The Milky Way core is highest after dark in June, at about 25°.
How dark the sky is around Qingyang, Gansu, China, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for 35.71°, 107.64°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Qingyang
Qingyang, Gansu, China is a large metropolitan area (population about 2,125,400). A place this size typically has a bright inner-city sky: only the Moon, planets and the brightest stars show from inside the urban core. That is an estimate of Bortle class 7–9 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 Qingyang. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.
Milky Way season in Qingyang
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 June at about 25°.
- The north celestial pole stands 35.7° above the horizon, so stars within 36° of it never set from here.
- About 79.2% 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 25.3° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 1427 m elevation, roughly 15% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.
Tonight and aurora
As of October 13, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 11% illumination. Aurora at 35.7° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Qingyang: common questions
Is Qingyang a good place for stargazing?
Qingyang, Gansu, China is a large metropolitan area, so its typical sky is bright inner-city sky: only the Moon, planets and the brightest stars show from inside the urban core (an estimate of Bortle 7–9 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 Qingyang?
From Qingyang, Gansu, China (35.71°, 107.64°) 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 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 Qingyang?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-10-13 the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 11% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.