Stargazing in Washington, DC

Dark-sky rating for Washington

We have no population figure for Washington, DC, so we do not estimate its sky glow here.

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 Washington. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.

Milky Way season in Washington

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 22°.

• The north celestial pole stands 38.9° above the horizon, so stars within 39° of it never set from here.
• About 81.4% 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 22.1° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.

Tonight and aurora

As of October 13, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 10% illumination. Aurora at 38.9° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.

Nearby places

• Annapolis, MD
• Baltimore, MD
• Frederick, MD
• Dover, DE
• Harrisburg, PA
• Richmond, VA