Amarillo Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.66

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

29%

Dataset

July 2026

City sky

Amarillo: The Practical Verdict

Amarillo, a small city in Texas, suffers considerably from high light pollution. The overall stargazing conditions are poor, with an urban sky dominated by brightness and little visibility of faint celestial objects. The Milky Way is not visible, further revealing the constraints of this environment. The primary limiting factor is the dense suburbia, which significantly influences the city's light dome.

From Amarillo, bright targets such as the Moon, planets, and select double stars are worth pursuing. Narrowband imaging might still capture the brightest nebulae, but only with careful attention to technique. In contrast, visual deep-sky observing and broadband galaxy imaging are discouraged, being overwhelmed by the city's bright sky.

Though Amarillo itself is a challenging dark-sky location, the best nearby upgrade is quite a distance away at County Road SS, Kansas. Situated north north-east, this site offers Bortle 3 class skies, justifying the drive for those seeking a darker atmosphere.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor city sky - This is a poor city sky. The Milky Way is not visible and most deep-sky observing is unrealistic from the location itself.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is erased by the bright urban sky background.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright stars, double stars, solar system events, narrowband imaging only with care

Do not prioritise

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

Best nearby upgrade

County Road SS, Kansas sits about 270 km north north east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 15x darker.

Good dark window

Amarillo's longest dark windows fall in December and January, with the shortest nights around June and July. Plan deep-sky sessions around the autumn and winter months for the best combination of long nights and true astronomical darkness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Amarillo?

No. Amarillo is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.66, 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 Amarillo?

Amarillo is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.66), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Amarillo good for stargazing?

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

Is Amarillo good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Amarillo and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Even narrowband imaging is difficult from Amarillo without careful processing.

What can you observe from Amarillo?

Primary targets from Amarillo include Moon, planets, bright stars, double stars, solar system events. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Amarillo?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Mayfield, Texas, about 123 km south of Amarillo, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Amarillo?

The sky over Amarillo is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Amarillo getting better or worse?

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

• Mayfield, Texas

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  123.1

  SQM

  20.30

  Bortle

  6

• Star Route, Texas

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  191.3

  SQM

  21.13

  Bortle

  4

• County Road SS, Kansas

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  270.4

  SQM

  21.58

  Bortle

  3