How dark is the sky in Salinas, CA?

Salinas reads as suburban edge on this dataset's scale. A noticeable glow near the horizon. Brighter stars and constellations are easy to pick out; the Milky Way is washed out. Salinas's sky is brighter than 20% of the 3,206 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 Salinas

The closest place in this dataset with a meaningfully darker sky is Seaside, CA, roughly 11 miles away in a straight line, rated rural. Road distance will be more.

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

Salinas against the rest of the dataset

Salinas, CA has a population of about 160,783, one of 3,206 US cities of 10,000 or more residents in this dataset. Among all 3,206 cities here, Salinas ranks 639 from darkest to brightest, 1 being the darkest measured.