Milky Way magic: Top locations in Ukraine where you can see it without equipment
Photo: Where in Ukraine you can admire the stars with the naked eye (Getty Images)
Ukraine has several unique locations where the level of light pollution is so low that the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye. These spots are known as dark zones, and they attract astronomers, photographers, and travelers who want to watch the night sky in its natural state. Here are the best places in Ukraine to observe the stars, along with recommendations on where you can go for this experience.
Carpathians: The darkest skies in Ukraine
The mountains are a top location for astrotourism because elevation and distance from cities drastically reduce skyglow.
Best spots:
The Svydovets Ridge (Zakarpattia) is one of the darkest zones in the country. Tourists and astrophotographers often capture a bright Milky Way and meteor showers here.
Thunderclouds over Svydovets (photo: Wikipedia)
Polonyna Borzhava is high, open, and has minimal light interference.
Potik Osa nature reserve (photo: Wikipedia)
The Horhany Reserve (Osmoloda area) is sparsely populated with very low levels of light noise.
Velyka Syvulia, the highest peak in the Gorgany (photo: Wikipedia)
Why it's great here
Stable temperature inversions, clean mountain air, elevation above 1,200 m, and low light pollution (according to the World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness).
Beskydy: Ukraine's candidate for a Dark Sky Park
The Skole Beskids National Nature Park has been considered for several years as an area potentially suitable for certification as a Dark Sky Park, an international status granted to regions with exemplary night skies.
Skole Beskids (photo: Wikipedia)
The best spot: the area around the Parashka ridge, with open sections free of direct light sources, low traffic, and good weather windows.
Odesa region: Steppes where the sky is a solid dome
The southern areas of the region have exceptionally low light pollution.
Optimal locations:
- The Danube Biosphere Reserve (outside populated areas)
- Remote steppe areas near Vylkove and Lake Sasik
Here, the sky is flat and open 360 degrees, ideal for meteor showers and astrophotography.
Shore of Lake Sasik (photo: Wikipedia)
Polissia: Quiet region with natural darkness
In the northern parts of the Rivne and Volyn regions, there are locations regularly used for scientific meteor observations.
Recommended spots:
Rivne Nature Reserve (area around Bile Lake)
Rivne Nature Reserve (photo: Wikipedia)
Manevychi district (Volyn) has a minimal urban impact and deep forests.
Manevychi, Nezalezhnosti Street (photo: Wikipedia)
Where to observe the stars without leaving the city
For large cities, this is almost impossible, but there are exceptions:
Kyiv: Lysa Hora (southern areas), the ecotrail in Holosiiv
Lviv: Vynnyky forest away from the main roads
Kharkiv: the distant clearings of Lisopark
These options are suitable "if you really want to," but they are not on the level of astrotourism, just slightly darker spots.
You may be interested in:
- Where the oldest stone cross in Ukraine is located
- The mystery of the 150-year-old Sapieha Palace that miraculously survived in the center of Lviv
Sources: International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness, Wikipedia, and the official website of Skole Beskids.
