Frequently asked
Is tonight good for stargazing at the Uyuni Salt Flats?
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. Below 40, conditions are poor. The score updates daily.
What makes the Uyuni Salt Flats good for astrophotography?
The Salar de Uyuni in southwestern Bolivia is the world's largest salt flat at over 10,000 square kilometers, sitting at 11,995 feet elevation on the Altiplano. The combination of extreme elevation, remote location far from any major city, and the Southern Hemisphere's favorable perspective on the Milky Way produces Bortle Class 1 to 2 skies of extraordinary quality. The flat is best known for its mirror effect during the brief rainy season, when a thin layer of water creates an almost perfect reflection of the sky. Shooting the Milky Way reflected in the salt flat — appearing to stand within the galaxy — produces images that have become iconic in modern astrophotography. The isolation, altitude, and reflective surface make it unlike any other stargazing destination on Earth.
When is the Milky Way visible at the Uyuni Salt Flats?
The galactic core is visible year-round from this Southern Hemisphere latitude, with the austral winter months of May through August placing it nearly overhead at peak brightness. The famous mirror reflection effect occurs during the rainy season from December through April, when the salt flat floods shallowly. Photographers seeking reflections must balance the trade-off between wet season cloud cover and dry season clarity. November and December offer a window where early rains may create shallow water before heavy cloud cover sets in. The dry season from May through October offers the most reliable clear skies and the highest galactic core positions.
