Albury Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.55

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

41%

Dataset

May 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Albury: The Practical Verdict

Albury, a small city in New South Wales, offers moderate light pollution with limited astronomical opportunities. The overall sky quality is poor for urban or suburban stargazing, as indicated by its Bortle class 7 ranking. This makes it challenging for deep-sky observing, with the Milky Way not visible from the city centre.

Expect to focus on bright objects such as the Moon, planets, and bright double stars from within Albury. Narrowband imaging is feasible with careful processing for bright emission nebulae, though broadband deep-sky imaging is best avoided due to light pollution. Avoid targets like reflection nebulae and faint meteor showers.

For a significant improvement in sky quality, consider heading to Cobungra, Victoria, which lies south south-east of Albury. This site near the darkest in the region provides a much clearer view of the night sky, making it a worthwhile option for serious observers.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor urban/suburban sky - This is a poor sky for astronomy. The Moon, planets, and a few bright objects remain viable, but deep-sky work is difficult.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not realistically visible from this level of light pollution.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing

Do not prioritise

visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, Milky Way photography

Best nearby upgrade

Cobungra, Victoria sits about 117 km south south east and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 7.3x darker.

Good dark window

Albury'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 Albury?

No. Albury is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.55, 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 Albury?

Albury is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.55), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Albury good for stargazing?

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

Is Albury good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Albury?

Primary targets from Albury include Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Albury?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Cobungra, Victoria, about 117 km south south east of Albury, reaching Bortle 2.

When is the sky darkest in Albury?

The sky over Albury is darkest around June, July.

Is light pollution in Albury getting better or worse?

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

• Cobungra, Victoria

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  116.5

  SQM

  21.71

  Bortle

  2

• Sandy Creek Track, Victoria

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  120.4

  SQM

  21.49

  Bortle

  3

• Ingeegoodbee, New South Wales

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  144.2

  SQM

  21.78

  Bortle

  2

• Mount Buller, Victoria

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  153.8

  SQM

  21.49

  Bortle

  3