Southwest China's Sichuan province has announced its first group of 13 "Best Stargazing Spots" in the area, including two locations from Guangyuan city.

The announcement took place during a cultural tourism promotion event in Panzhihua city, Sichuan, on Nov 28. The Yueba Tourism Resort in Guanyuan's Lizhou district and Linjiabazi in Chaotian district were chosen, enhancing the city's cultural tourism reputation.

The activity titled "Discover the Beauty of the Starry Sky — Find Sichuan's Best Stargazing Spots" was launched earlier this year. It was led by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and organized by China National Travel magazine, the China Meteorological Service Association, and the Sichuan Provincial Tourism Society.

Over a seven-month period, 21 stargazing spots were submitted via an online collection process. A panel of 17 experts from diverse fields, including astronomical science promotion, starry sky photography, and tourism planning, assessed the submissions. They used professional criteria, including the frequency of clear skies, atmospheric transparency, atmospheric seeing conditions, human comfort levels, and the Dark Sky Index, along with the availability of facilities and services that support stargazing tourism.

Ultimately, the first batch of 13 "Best Stargazing Spots" was finalized.