Albury Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.51

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

40%

Dataset

July 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Albury: The Practical Verdict

Albury, a small city in New South Wales, is nestled in a suburban setting that suffers from high levels of light pollution. The overall sky quality is poor for astronomy, with the Milky Way not visible, in part due to the brightness from the west horizon. As such, serious deep-sky observing is heavily impacted here.

From Albury, the Moon, planets, and bright double stars remain the primary targets for visual astronomers. Bright open clusters might also be accessible, though more delicate structures like broadband galaxies and reflection nebulae should be avoided. Narrowband imaging still holds some potential, provided careful processing is applied.

For those looking for vastly improved conditions, a trip to Glen Valley, Victoria, about 115 km to the south-south-east, offers a remarkable upgrade. There, under a Bortle 2 sky, deep-sky observing becomes far more rewarding.

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

Glen Valley, Victoria sits about 116 km south south east and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 7.7x 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 19.51, 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 19.51), 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 Jingellic, New South Wales, about 68 km east north east of Albury, reaching Bortle 3.

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.

• Jingellic, New South Wales

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  67.5

  SQM

  21.59

  Bortle

  3

• Glen Valley, Victoria

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  116

  SQM

  21.73

  Bortle

  2

• Ingeegoodbee, New South Wales

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  146.9

  SQM

  21.79

  Bortle

  2

• Arbuckle, Victoria

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  141.9

  SQM

  21.65

  Bortle

  3