Salt Lake City, US Clear Sky Chart

Salt Lake City, US (40.76°, -111.89°) · Updated 23:01 MDT
86
Excellent
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.

Go out tonight
BEST 21:00–05:23 (8h 23m)
Near-perfect skies. Mars, Saturn well placed tonight.
Sunset
19:54
Sunrise
06:58
Usable Hours
9/9
Moon
45%
Visible Planets
♂ Mars33° E
♄ Saturn52° S
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Stargazing in Salt Lake City, US

Salt Lake City's high-desert location (1,288m altitude) provides dry air and clear skies much of the year. Bortle 6–7 in the city drops dramatically heading west into the Bonneville Salt Flats or south-east into the Wasatch Mountains. The Stansbury Park Observatory Complex is a popular local site. Utah's numerous dark-sky parks (Bryce Canyon, Natural Bridges, Capitol Reef) are among the best in the US. Winter inversions can trap haze in the valley, but above-inversion sites are often clear.

Salt Lake City, US Stargazing FAQ

Is Salt Lake City good for stargazing?
Salt Lake City's high-desert location at 1,288m provides dry air and clear skies much of the year. The city's main challenge is winter temperature inversions that can trap haze in the valley — above-inversion sites are often clear.
Where is the best dark sky near Salt Lake City?
Utah has some of the best dark-sky parks in the US — Bryce Canyon, Natural Bridges, Capitol Reef, and Goblin Valley are all designated dark-sky sites. The Bonneville Salt Flats to the west offer wide-open darkness closer to the city.
Can you see the Milky Way from Utah?
Yes — Utah's dark-sky parks regularly achieve Bortle 2 conditions. The Milky Way is spectacular from sites like Natural Bridges, where it was the first International Dark Sky Park designated.