Frequently asked
Is tonight good for stargazing at Mobius Arch?
The live score above pulls today's forecast and runs it through StarCast's scoring model, factoring in cloud cover, moon illumination, Bortle class, humidity, and atmospheric transparency. Above 70 is an excellent night for astrophotography. Below 40, conditions are poor. The score updates daily.
What makes Mobius Arch good for astrophotography?
Mobius Arch is a small natural granite arch in the Alabama Hills just outside Lone Pine, framing a view straight through to Mount Whitney and the eastern Sierra Nevada crest. It's one of the most photographed compositions in California night photography, since the arch itself acts as a natural frame for the Milky Way or the mountains behind it. Being just a short walk from a parking area and away from any significant town lighting, skies here reach Bortle Class 3, dark enough for strong core contrast without needing a long backcountry drive.
When is the Milky Way visible at Mobius Arch?
The core is visible from March through October, but it only lines up directly through the arch opening during specific weeks of the year depending on your exact shooting position, so it's worth checking that alignment window in advance rather than showing up on any clear night and expecting it to line up. Outside of that specific alignment, the arch still works well as a general foreground for wide sky shots any time the core is up.
