Dark-sky places in Austria
Of 12 dark-sky places and national parks in Austria, National Park Thayatal (of those darker than half of Europe’s land) has the most clear, moonless hours of full darkness: 303 a year (ERA5, 2006–2025). The darkest sky is at Salzburger Lungau and Kärntner Nockberge, darker than 86% of Europe’s land (NASA VIIRS 2025).
| Place | Best month | Clear moonless dark hours a year | Darker than… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park national park | March | 347 | 49% |
| Danube-Auen National Park national park | March | 342 | 17% |
| National Park Thayatal national park | September | 303 | 57% |
| Weißbach Nature Park and Municipality International Dark Sky Community | December | 259 | 71% |
| Kalkalpen National Park national park | December | 257 | 80% |
| Naturpark Attersee-Traunsee International Dark Sky Park | March | 252 | 68% |
| Gesäuse National Park national park | December | 228 | 80% |
| Styrian Eisenwurzen nature and geopark International Dark Sky Reserve | December | 228 | 80% |
| Salzburger Lungau and Kärntner Nockberge national park | December | 201 | 86% |
| Hohe Tauern National Park national park | December | 201 | 86% |
| Nationalpark Hohe Tauern Kernzonen Land Salzburg national park | December | 193 | 84% |
| Nationalpark Hohe Tauern Außenzonen Land Salzburg national park | December | 193 | 84% |
Climate, not a forecast: these are shares of past nights (ERA5 reanalysis, 2006–2025), not a prediction for a particular night. Check a forecast before you go.