Flagstaff, US Stargazing Forecast

Flagstaff, US (35.2°, -111.65°) · Updated 11:03 UTC
74
Good
high confidence ⓘ
high · Forecast stability

Tonight's forecast has held steady across recent updates. We compare how much tonight's score has moved across our recent forecast updates, a score that's held steady is more trustworthy.

Confidence reflects how trustworthy the forecast is, it doesn't change the score.

Worth a look tonight
BEST 04:00–11:00 (7h)
Near-perfect skies but bright moonlight limits faint objects. Delta Aquariids meteor shower active.
Sunset
02:32
Sunrise
12:34
Usable Hours
7/7
Moon
100%
Visible Planets
♂ Mars19° E
♄ Saturn55° SE
Open Full Flagstaff, US Forecast →
Hour-by-hour scores · Planet rise/set & visibility · ISS & satellite passes · Moon detail · Full score breakdown · Aurora & observer profiles

Stargazing in Flagstaff, US

Flagstaff was the world's first International Dark Sky City, and it takes this seriously — strict lighting codes keep the city at Bortle 4, an astonishing achievement for an urban area. Lowell Observatory (where Pluto was discovered) sits within the city. At 2,100m altitude, the air is thin, dry, and clean, producing excellent transparency and seeing. The surrounding Coconino National Forest offers Bortle 2–3 conditions. Summer monsoons bring afternoon clouds but often clear by evening.

Flagstaff, US Stargazing FAQ

Why is Flagstaff a Dark Sky City?∨
Flagstaff was the world's first International Dark Sky City, designated in 2001. Strict lighting codes keep the city at Bortle 4 — an exceptional achievement for an urban area. Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered, sits within the city.
Can you see the Milky Way from Flagstaff?∨
Yes — Flagstaff's Bortle 4 skies and 2,100m altitude mean the Milky Way is visible from within the city on clear, moonless nights. The surrounding Coconino National Forest drops to Bortle 2-3 for even better views.
Is Flagstaff good for astrophotography?∨
Excellent — the combination of dark skies, high altitude, dry air, and good seeing conditions makes Flagstaff one of the best astrophotography locations in the US. The ponderosa pine forests provide dramatic foreground interest.

Stargazing guides

Is Tonight Good for Stargazing?

The answer depends on five things you can check right now.

Light Pollution & the Bortle Scale

How dark is your sky — and what difference does it make?

What Planets Are Visible Tonight?

Real visibility data for all 7 naked-eye and telescope planets, calculated for your location.

Meteor Shower Calendar 2026

Every shower this year — peak dates, expected rates, moon interference, and the two you absolutely cannot miss.
Check light pollution for this area ↗

Other locations

London Edinburgh Manchester Birmingham Glasgow Cardiff Belfast Leeds Bristol Liverpool Inverness Aberdeen York Cambridge Ballymena Bath Oxford Nottingham Sheffield Newcastle Dublin New York Los Angeles Chicago Houston Phoenix Denver San Francisco Seattle Austin Boston Miami Portland Nashville Minneapolis Salt Lake City Tucson Sedona Moab Anchorage Toronto Vancouver Montreal Calgary Jasper Paris Berlin Munich Amsterdam Rome Madrid Barcelona Lisbon Vienna Prague Copenhagen Stockholm Helsinki Oslo Tromsø Reykjavik Zurich Warsaw Budapest Athens Brussels Kiruna Rovaniemi Tenerife La Palma Tokyo Seoul Singapore Bangkok Dubai Mumbai Delhi Taipei Hong Kong Bali Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Perth Auckland Queenstown Cape Town Johannesburg Nairobi Marrakech Cairo Buenos Aires São Paulo Santiago Atacama Bogotá Mauna Kea Cherry Springs Galloway Forest Northumberland Cork Galway Plymouth Norwich Exeter Aberystwyth Kielder San Diego Las Vegas Dallas Atlanta Philadelphia Washington DC Albuquerque Big Bend Bryce Canyon Death Valley Ottawa Edmonton Winnipeg Yellowknife Milan Naples Krakow Geneva Nice Abisko Pic du Midi Sierra Nevada Faroe Islands Osaka Beijing Shanghai Kuala Lumpur Manila Abu Dhabi Tel Aviv Riyadh Istanbul Kyoto Adelaide Canberra Hobart Darwin Wellington Christchurch Lake Tekapo Uluru Windhoek Sutherland Casablanca Tunis Addis Ababa Accra Dar es Salaam Lagos Lima Quito Montevideo La Paz Elqui Valley Mendoza Cusco Asunción

See all locations on the map →