Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Xintai, Shandong, China
Xintai, Shandong, China 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 Xintai, Shandong, China, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for 35.90°, 117.75°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Xintai
Xintai, Shandong, China is a small city (population about 222,459). 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 Xintai. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.
Milky Way season in Xintai
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 35.9° above the horizon, so stars within 36° of it never set from here.
- About 79.3% 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 25.1° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 197 m elevation, roughly 2% 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 10% illumination. Aurora at 35.9° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Xintai: common questions
Is Xintai a good place for stargazing?
Xintai, Shandong, China 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 Xintai?
From Xintai, Shandong, China (35.90°, 117.75°) 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 Xintai?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-10-13 the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 10% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.