Atacama night sky

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About Atacama night sky

San Pedro de Atacama, at about 2,400 meters above sea level in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, is one of the world’s top destinations for stargazing. The very dry air, high altitude and low light pollution keep the sky crisp, with many cloudless nights throughout the year. For this reason, the region’s mountains host some of the planet’s largest research observatories.

Dozens of agencies in the village run nighttime astronomy tours. Groups leave San Pedro for dark areas in the desert just a few kilometers away, with telescopes, a talk about the southern sky and, on some tours, photos taken under the stars. Andean constellations—seen by local peoples as dark patches in the Milky Way—are often part of the explanation.

On clear nights, the Milky Way stretches across the sky, and the Southern Cross and the Magellanic Clouds are visible to the naked eye. A full moon brightens the sky: some tours avoid nights near full moon, while nights close to new moon are usually the best.

In January and February, the so-called altiplanic winter tends to bring clouds and rain, increasing the number of overcast nights. From March to December, the sky is usually clear on most nights. In winter, from June to August, desert nights are very cold, often below 0°C.

ALMA’s antennae are located on the Chajnantor plateau at about 5,000 meters and are used for astronomical research. Check visiting conditions before adding it to your itinerary. San Pedro is also the base for Valle de la Luna, the Géiseres del Tatio and the high-altitude lagunas.

Dark skies for the Moon and stars

Learn more about the Moon

Seeing the Moon and the stars takes clear skies.

Dark skies to see the planets

Learn more about the Solar System

Stargazing depends on the weather and is not guaranteed.

Dark skies in the Southern Hemisphere

Learn more about comets and meteor showers

It takes clear skies and no full Moon: it is not guaranteed.

Southern Hemisphere: Milky Way, Southern Cross and Magellanic Clouds

Learn more about the Milky Way and the constellations

It takes clear skies and no bright Moon: it is not guaranteed.