Where Is the Darkest Sky on Earth?

Several locations compete for Earth's darkest skies. The Atacama Desert in northern Chile, home to many major observatories including the Very Large Telescope, is often considered the best site thanks to its extreme aridity, high altitude (over 5,000 m for some observatories), and virtually zero light pollution. La Palma in the Canary Islands protects its skies with light-pollution laws and hosts the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory. NamibRand Nature Reserve in Namibia was one of the first places to receive Gold Tier International Dark Sky Reserve status.