Stargaze Atlas

Maryland dark-sky map — light pollution by town

136 towns rated · darkest: Green Valley · measured from VIIRS 2024 satellite night-lights

Maryland has 136 towns rated for light pollution here, from its darkest — Green Valley (Bortle 4) — to its brightest city cores, with 3 rating as genuinely dark or rural sky (Bortle 4 or better). Every town is listed with the nearest measurably darker town to drive to. No site in the state holds an International Dark Sky Place certification, so its darkest skies are the rural towns at the top of the table. Ratings are a VIIRS satellite proxy, not survey-grade sky-brightness readings.

Statewide Maryland · VIIRS 2024
Towns rated
136

3 rate as genuinely dark or rural sky (about Bortle 4 or better).

Darkest town
Green Valley
Genuinely dark towns
3
Certified dark-sky places
0

Nearest certified dark-sky places to Maryland

No site in Maryland holds an International Dark Sky Place certification. Measured from Green Valley, the state's darkest rated town, these are the nearest certified destinations — all 92 are on the map.

Nearest certified International Dark Sky Places to Green Valley, Maryland.
Place Designation State From Green Valley
James River State Park Dark Sky Park Virginia 145 mi
Cherry Springs State Park Dark Sky Park Pennsylvania 165 mi
Staunton River State Park Dark Sky Park North Carolina 195 mi

All Maryland towns by darkness

Darkest sky first, each with the nearest measurably darker town to drive to. Sort or filter below.

Maryland towns, darkest sky first.
Sky Nearest darker sky
Green Valley 4 Rural / suburban transition 2.0 already the darkest nearby
Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point 4 Rural / suburban transition 2.1 already the darkest nearby
Chesapeake Ranch Estates 4 Rural / suburban transition 2.2 already the darkest nearby
Ocean Pines 5 Suburban sky 3.0 Chesapeake Ranch Estates — B4, 68 mi
Bennsville 5 Suburban sky 3.4 Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point — B4, 37 mi
Fort Washington 5 Suburban sky 3.9 Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point — B4, 41 mi
North Potomac 5 Suburban sky 4.4 Green Valley — B4, 16 mi
Ilchester 5 Suburban sky 4.7 Green Valley — B4, 29 mi
Travilah 5 Suburban sky 5.2 Green Valley — B4, 17 mi
Accokeek 5 Suburban sky 5.3 Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point — B4, 40 mi
Lake Shore 5 Suburban sky 6.1 Green Valley — B4, 46 mi
Greater Upper Marlboro 6 Bright suburban sky 8.2 Fort Washington — B5, 17 mi
Rosaryville 6 Bright suburban sky 8.2 Fort Washington — B5, 12 mi
Bel Air North 6 Bright suburban sky 8.3 Ilchester — B5, 30 mi
Crofton 6 Bright suburban sky 10 Lake Shore — B5, 13 mi
Ellicott City 6 Bright suburban sky 11 Ilchester — B5, 2 mi
Pasadena 6 Bright suburban sky 12 Lake Shore — B5, 5 mi
Mays Chapel 6 Bright suburban sky 12 Ilchester — B5, 14 mi
Joppatowne 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Lake Shore — B5, 22 mi
Elkridge 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Ilchester — B5, 4 mi
Mitchellville 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Fort Washington — B5, 19 mi
Arnold 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Lake Shore — B5, 5 mi
Cloverly 6 Bright suburban sky 13 North Potomac — B5, 14 mi
Maryland City 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Ilchester — B5, 11 mi
Saint Charles 6 Bright suburban sky 14 Bennsville — B5, 4 mi
Milford Mill 6 Bright suburban sky 14 Ilchester — B5, 7 mi
Severna Park 6 Bright suburban sky 15 Lake Shore — B5, 4 mi
Severn 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Ilchester — B5, 9 mi
Cambridge 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point — B4, 24 mi
Lutherville-Timonium 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Ilchester — B5, 15 mi
Edgewood 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Lake Shore — B5, 24 mi
Kemp Mill 6 Bright suburban sky 17 Travilah — B5, 13 mi
Kettering 6 Bright suburban sky 17 Fort Washington — B5, 17 mi
Green Haven 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Lake Shore — B5, 4 mi
Halfway 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Green Valley — B4, 33 mi
Montgomery Village 6 Bright suburban sky 18 North Potomac — B5, 8 mi
Oxon Hill-Glassmanor 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Fort Washington — B5, 7 mi
St. Charles 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Bennsville — B5, 5 mi
Randallstown 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Ilchester — B5, 8 mi
Riviera Beach 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Lake Shore — B5, 4 mi
Colesville 6 Bright suburban sky 20 Travilah — B5, 14 mi
Lochearn 6 Bright suburban sky 20 Ilchester — B5, 7 mi
Columbia 7 Suburban / urban transition 20 Ellicott City — B6, 3 mi
Reisterstown 7 Suburban / urban transition 21 Randallstown — B6, 7 mi
South Laurel 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Maryland City — B6, 2 mi
Ballenger Creek 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Green Valley — B4, 9 mi
Hanover 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Elkridge — B6, 2 mi
Odenton 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Severn — B6, 4 mi
Waldorf 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 St. Charles — B6, 1 mi
Scaggsville 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Maryland City — B6, 6 mi
Fairland 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Colesville — B6, 2 mi
South Gate 7 Suburban / urban transition 23 Pasadena — B6, 3 mi
Clinton 7 Suburban / urban transition 23 Oxon Hill-Glassmanor — B6, 5 mi
Glenn Dale 7 Suburban / urban transition 23 Mitchellville — B6, 5 mi
New Carrollton 7 Suburban / urban transition 24 Mitchellville — B6, 5 mi
Damascus 7 Suburban / urban transition 24 Green Valley — B4, 5 mi
Perry Hall 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Joppatowne — B6, 6 mi
Havre de Grace 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Edgewood — B6, 14 mi
West Elkridge 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Elkridge — B6, 1 mi
Greenbelt 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Maryland City — B6, 7 mi
Potomac 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Great Falls, VA — B6, 5 mi
Bowie 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Mitchellville — B6, 5 mi
Clarksburg 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Green Valley — B4, 5 mi
Catonsville 7 Suburban / urban transition 27 Ilchester — B5, 2 mi
Essex 7 Suburban / urban transition 27 Joppatowne — B6, 10 mi
Easton 7 Suburban / urban transition 27 Cambridge — B6, 15 mi
Hunt Valley 7 Suburban / urban transition 27 Lutherville-Timonium — B6, 4 mi
White Oak 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Kemp Mill — B6, 1 mi
Overlea 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Lutherville-Timonium — B6, 7 mi
Aspen Hill 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Colesville — B6, 4 mi
Seabrook 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Mitchellville — B6, 4 mi
Adelphi 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Kemp Mill — B6, 4 mi
Bel Air South 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Bel Air North — B6, 4 mi
Westminster 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Randallstown — B6, 18 mi
Lanham-Seabrook 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Mitchellville — B6, 4 mi
Hillcrest Heights 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Oxon Hill-Glassmanor — B6, 3 mi
Arbutus 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Elkridge — B6, 3 mi
Linthicum 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Elkridge — B6, 3 mi
Takoma Park 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Kemp Mill — B6, 4 mi
Calverton 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Colesville — B6, 4 mi
Lexington Park 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Chesapeake Ranch Estates — B4, 6 mi
Lanham 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Mitchellville — B6, 5 mi
Glenmont 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Kemp Mill — B6, 2 mi
Walker Mill 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Kettering — B6, 4 mi
California 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Chesapeake Ranch Estates — B4, 6 mi
Germantown 7 Suburban / urban transition 32 Montgomery Village — B6, 4 mi
Woodlawn 7 Suburban / urban transition 32 Lochearn — B6, 1 mi
Landover 7 Suburban / urban transition 32 Mitchellville — B6, 5 mi
Camp Springs 7 Suburban / urban transition 32 Oxon Hill-Glassmanor — B6, 4 mi
Rockville 7 Suburban / urban transition 32 Travilah — B5, 6 mi
East Riverdale 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 Mitchellville — B6, 6 mi
North Bethesda 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 Kemp Mill — B6, 5 mi
Parkville 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 Lutherville-Timonium — B6, 6 mi
Middle River 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 Joppatowne — B6, 7 mi
Rosedale 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 Lutherville-Timonium — B6, 10 mi
Hyattsville 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 Kemp Mill — B6, 7 mi
Summerfield 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Kettering — B6, 3 mi
Ferndale 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Elkridge — B6, 4 mi
Eldersburg 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Randallstown — B6, 9 mi
Aberdeen 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Edgewood — B6, 9 mi
Brooklyn Park 7 Suburban / urban transition 40 Elkridge — B6, 5 mi
Gwynn Oak 8 City sky 40 Lochearn — B6, 2 mi
Olney 8 City sky 41 Cloverly — B6, 5 mi
Cumberland 8 City sky 42 Martinsburg, WV — B7, 45 mi
Suitland-Silver Hill 8 City sky 42 Hillcrest, DC — B7, 2 mi
Chillum 8 City sky 42 Takoma Park — B7, 1 mi
Elkton 8 City sky 42 Glasgow, DE — B7, 5 mi
Pikesville 8 City sky 43 Lochearn — B6, 2 mi
Oxon Hill 8 City sky 43 Oxon Hill-Glassmanor — B6, 1 mi
Carney 8 City sky 44 Parkville — B7, 2 mi
Cockeysville 8 City sky 44 Hunt Valley — B7, 1 mi
Glassmanor 8 City sky 44 Oxon Hill-Glassmanor — B6, 2 mi
Bel Air 8 City sky 45 Bel Air North — B6, 2 mi
Bethesda 8 City sky 45 Colorado Triangle, DC — B7, 4 mi
Glen Burnie 8 City sky 47 Ferndale — B7, 2 mi
Annapolis 8 City sky 47 Arnold — B6, 4 mi
Gaithersburg 8 City sky 49 Montgomery Village — B6, 2 mi
Frederick 8 City sky 50 Ballenger Creek — B7, 3 mi
Rossville 8 City sky 52 Essex — B7, 2 mi
Largo 8 City sky 52 Kettering — B6, 1 mi
Suitland 8 City sky 55 Hillcrest, DC — B7, 2 mi
Salisbury 8 City sky 56 Ocean Pines — B5, 24 mi
Forestville 8 City sky 57 Walker Mill — B7, 2 mi
Owings Mills 8 City sky 58 Randallstown — B6, 4 mi
Wheaton 8 City sky 59 Glenmont — B7, 1 mi
Beltsville 8 City sky 59 Calverton — B7, 2 mi
College Park 8 City sky 68 Hyattsville — B7, 2 mi
Langley Park 8 City sky 69 Adelphi — B7, 1 mi
Silver Spring 8 City sky 75 Takoma Park — B7, 1 mi
Hagerstown 8 City sky 76 Halfway — B6, 3 mi
Parole 8 City sky 85 Arnold — B6, 4 mi
Laurel 8 City sky 87 Maryland City — B6, 2 mi
Towson 8 City sky 92 Lutherville-Timonium — B6, 3 mi
Canton 9 Inner-city sky 100 Rosedale — B7, 4 mi
Dundalk 9 Inner-city sky 186 Essex — B7, 5 mi
Baltimore 9 Inner-city sky 251 Brooklyn Park — B7, 4 mi

Frequently asked questions

Where are the darkest skies in Maryland?
The darkest town tracked here is Green Valley. Sort the table on this page by darkness to see the full ranking, from the most rural, star-filled skies down to the brightest city cores.
How many dark-sky towns does Maryland have?
Of 136 towns rated here, 3 rate as genuinely dark or rural sky (about Bortle 4 or better) — good for seeing the Milky Way on a clear, moonless night.
How are these light-pollution ratings measured?
From VIIRS 2024 annual-average satellite night-lights, sampled at each town's center and mapped to a darkness class and an estimated Bortle band. It is a satellite upward-radiance proxy for planning, not a survey-grade sky-brightness reading. See the methodology page for details.

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