Night Sky Tonight in Westcliffe

The live score above pulls today's forecast and runs it through StarCast's scoring model, which factors 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.

Westcliffe and the Wet Mountain Valley are among the most celebrated dark sky destinations in Colorado. The valley earned Dark Sky Community designation, and the Sangre de Cristo range rising directly to the west creates a dramatic jagged silhouette against the Milky Way. Light pollution is minimal: Pueblo is 50 miles east and Canon City's glow is blocked by intervening ridges. The open ranch land gives unobstructed horizons in every direction.

The galactic core is visible from late March through October. The Sangre de Cristo peaks align with the core's rising position in spring, making April and May particularly striking for foreground compositions. Summer brings the core high overhead with excellent transparency at this elevation. The valley's low humidity compared to lower Colorado plains extends shooting windows through autumn.