90 minutes from Berlin lies one of the darkest places in Germany: in the country’s first star park, you can see the Milky Way as clearly as you would otherwise only in the high mountains on an area of approx. 1,347.5 km².

Gazing up at the starry sky when there is a special moon or a rare planetary constellation is not so easy in Berlin. On the one hand, the air in the big city is not always clear, and on the other hand, tall buildings often block the view. Places such as Tempelhofer Feld, Treptower Park, and Müggelsee are good options for stargazing. But if you want to enjoy a truly crystal-clear view, you need one thing above all else: more darkness. And you’ll find that not far from Berlin at one of the best places in Germany for it – the Westhavelland Star Park in Brandenburg. With its naturally dark night sky, it is considered one of the darkest places in the country.

Photo: Getty Images

The Westhavelland Star Park refers to the part of the Westhavelland Nature Park that has been officially recognized as a star park due to its exceptionally low light pollution. In February 2014, it was designated Germany’s first Star Park by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). This means that the region is so dark that the night sky is visible to the naked eye with impressive clarity – even the Milky Way is clearly visible.

The entire area of the nature park covers approximately 1,315 to 1,380 square kilometers. The Star Park covers large parts of this area, which is characterized by vast wetlands, Havel floodplains, meadows, and forests. This is precisely why it is so popular with astronomy enthusiasts, amateur astronomers, and night sky photographers: light pollution is extremely low – there is more natural darkness here than in most other regions of Germany. In good conditions, you can see the curved arc of the Milky Way above you. With a little luck, you may even see airglow – the natural glow of the upper atmosphere.

Photo: Getty Images

There are also several official observation sites where stars, planets, and deep-sky objects can be observed particularly well with a telescope or binoculars. These include remote fields with no infrastructure, ideal for maximum darkness, as well as places with some facilities, such as the sports field in Gülpe or the area around Lake Kleßener See. These spots are particularly popular with stargazers and astro-photographers.

A little tip: for the best view of the stars and the Milky Way, choose a moonless night – conditions are ideal around the new moon in particular.