Amarillo Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.57

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

28%

Dataset

August 2026

City sky

Amarillo: The Practical Verdict

Amarillo, a small city in Texas, is surrounded by the suburban environment typical of the region. The overall quality of its night sky is poor, dominated by high light pollution. Unfortunately, the Milky Way is not visible from here, and the light pollution heavily impacts deep-sky observing.

From an observational standpoint, the urban sky effectively limits you to brighter celestial objects. Ideal targets include the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars, with narrowband imaging only succeeding with care. Deep-sky or faint nebular targets should generally be avoided due to the sky's overbearing brightness.

For those seeking a clearer view, heading to Swisher County in Texas, about 95 km south, offers a significant improvement in viewing conditions with a Bortle 4 sky, making it worthwhile for more serious astral observations.

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

Swisher County, Texas sits about 96 km south and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 9.3x 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 18.57, 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 18.57), 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 Amarillo, Texas, about 8 km west north west 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.

• Amarillo, Texas

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  7.7

  SQM

  19.74

  Bortle

  6

• Swisher County, Texas

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  95.9

  SQM

  20.99

  Bortle

  4

• Lamb County, Texas

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  151.5

  SQM

  20.87

  Bortle

  4