Atlas Obscura recently spotlighted some of Colorado’s top stargazing spots – but there’s more to the story. Up here in Fairplay, we’ve got incredibly dark skies, surrounded by towering peaks, quiet valleys and high-altitude air that makes for seriously crisp Milky Way views.
Our skies rival some of the best – especially when you’re 11,000 feet up and far from any city glow.
If you’ve ever wanted to capture that beauty – or finally understand how to shoot stars, the Milky Way and lit foregrounds – my night photography workshops in Fairplay are built for exactly that.
If you’ve ever wanted to capture that beauty – or finally understand how to shoot stars, the Milky Way and lit foregrounds – my night photography workshops in Fairplay are built for exactly that.
📸 alanstenbackphotography.us/workshops
Wondering how dark it actually gets up here?
📍 Fairplay, CO sits at ~10,000 ft in the South Park Basin, well beyond the reach of urban light domes. On a clear, moonless night we average Bortle Class 2 – 3 skies, with SQM readings around 21.5+ – comparable to some certified dark sky parks.
That means:
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Milky Way detail visible to the naked eye
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Low atmospheric haze and minimal light pollution
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Ideal conditions for nightscape photography
You don’t have to travel far to find true darkness – we’ve got it right here!
For a wider view of Colorado’s incredible night skies and top stargazing spots, check out this excellent guide from Atlas Obscura here.