How dark is the sky in Gastonia, NC?

Satellite radiance puts Gastonia in the suburban band. Light dome dominates much of the sky. Only the brightest stars and planets stand out clearly. That's brighter than 50.8% of the 3,206 US cities in this dataset.

Worth remembering: this is satellite radiance, not a ground observation. A true Bortle rating needs a human eye at night, this is the closest large-scale substitute.

Where to go for a darker sky near Gastonia

8 miles from Gastonia, straight-line, sits Belmont, NC, the nearest city here with a darker sky than Gastonia's own suburban band.

Belmont, NC is itself still a measured city, not a designated dark-sky park, this only compares against the 3,206 places this dataset covers.

Gastonia against the rest of the dataset

Gastonia, NC counts roughly 85,535 residents, among the 3,206 US cities this site tracks. Among all 3,206 cities here, Gastonia ranks 1,621 from darkest to brightest, 1 being the darkest measured.