Lulin

Chiayi · Yushan

Bortle 2 · Pristine dark sky ｜ Elevation 2862m ｜ SQM ~21.8 ｜ Best view South

Home to the Lulin Observatory at ~2,862 m — one of the anchors of professional astronomy in Taiwan. Extremely clean air and very low light pollution, just above Tataka, with the Milky Way and deep-sky objects sharp to the naked eye.

Galactic core tonight

🌌 Tonight the Milky Way core climbs to a shootable altitude around 20:13, sinks back near 03:03, and peaks around 22:53 at roughly 38° in the South.

Access

Reached on foot from Tataka along the forest road; it is a controlled research area, so check access rules before a night visit.

Facilities

Observatory (not open for public night viewing); no supplies nearby — base yourself at Tataka.

Best season

Mar–Oct Milky Way season; the dry season is most transparent.

See the nearby city's stargazing calendar

Bortle class and SQM are estimates for well-known sites, used to compare darkness — not on-site measurements.