Albany Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.65

Bortle class

Class 6 (Class 6)

Darkness Quotient

42%

Dataset

August 2026

Bright suburban sky

Albany: The Practical Verdict

Albany is a small city in Western Australia. It offers moderate light pollution typical of a suburban environment, making it a limited choice for deep-sky observations. The primary limiting factor here is the brightness of the northern part of the sky, which diminishes the visibility of fainter celestial objects.

While the Milky Way is not visible from Albany due to the bright sky background, the Moon, planets, bright open clusters, and double stars are all reasonably accessible targets. Avoid attempting to observe broadband galaxies and faint nebulae, as they are particularly affected by light pollution in this area.

For those seeking darker skies, Wellstead approximately 85 km east-north-east of Albany offers a significant upgrade. It provides a much darker environment, opening up the possibility for more serious deep-sky observations.

At a Glance

Overall

Limited suburban sky - This is a limited sky for astronomy. The brightest targets remain accessible, but faint deep-sky observing is heavily compromised.

Milky Way

Not visible - The sky background is generally too bright for a reliable Milky Way view.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging, bright nebula cores

Do not prioritise

broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, visual faint nebulae, Milky Way photography

Best nearby upgrade

Wellstead, Western Australia sits about 85 km east north east and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 8.2x darker.

Good dark window

Albany's longest dark windows fall in June and July, with the shortest nights around December and January. For deep-sky imaging, winter gives the best combination of long nights and true astronomical darkness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Albany?

No. Albany is a Bortle Class 6 sky with SQM 19.65, so the Milky Way is not visible from the city. For Milky Way photography, look for a Bortle 4 or darker site.

What Bortle class is Albany?

Albany is Bortle Class 6 (SQM 19.65), a limited suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Albany good for stargazing?

Not for serious deep-sky observing. Albany is a limited suburban sky where the Moon, planets, and a handful of bright targets are the realistic options from the city itself.

Is Albany good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Albany and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Narrowband imaging of bright emission nebulae remains viable from Albany with appropriate Ha or OIII filters.

What can you observe from Albany?

Primary targets from Albany include Moon, planets, double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging. Targets such as broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, visual faint nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Albany?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Frenchman Bay, Western Australia, about 8 km south south east of Albany, reaching Bortle 3.

When is the sky darkest in Albany?

The sky over Albany is darkest around June, July.

Is light pollution in Albany getting better or worse?

Long-term light pollution over Albany has been broadly stable across the available measurements.

• Frenchman Bay, Western Australia

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  8.1

  SQM

  21.38

  Bortle

  3

• Manypeaks, Western Australia

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  27.5

  SQM

  21.71

  Bortle

  2

• Kronkup, Western Australia

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  22.3

  SQM

  21.48

  Bortle

  3

• Wellstead, Western Australia

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  85

  SQM

  21.93

  Bortle

  2

• Lake Muir, Western Australia

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  125.8

  SQM

  21.81

  Bortle

  2