Astrotourism · Chapada dos Veadeiros
Starry sky
The region's light-pollution map — where night is still truly dark.
Altitude, dry air and very few people for hundreds of kilometres: one of the darkest skies in central Brazil. On the map, the bright patches are towns — note the dark void over the National Park and compare it with Brasília's glare.
In the black and grey zones the Milky Way pops to the naked eye; from yellow onwards it fades into the glow.
Data: Light Pollution Atlas 2025 by David J. Lorenz (VIIRS satellite) · park boundary: OpenStreetMap · Moon phase: astronomical calculation · real-time clouds: Open-Meteo.
Making the most of it
Dodge the full Moon
Moonlight washes out the fainter stars. Aim for new Moon, or the hours before moonrise and after moonset.
Dry season, clear sky
From May to September nights are dry and transparent — Chapada's best for looking up.
Let your eyes adapt
Night vision takes about 20 minutes to arrive. Skip the white flashlight: dim red light and patience.
Want a telescope view?
The Astronomical Tour at Observatório Bellatrix, in Alto Paraíso, is this sky's guided reading — planets, clusters and the cerrado's constellations.