Aurora Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.11

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

24%

Dataset

July 2026

City sky

Aurora: The Practical Verdict

Aurora, a mid-sized city in Colorado, neighbours Denver to the west and is characterised by suburban sprawl. Given this setup, the city sky is notably poor, with high light pollution severely affecting astronomical visibility. The high level of artificial brightness means the Milky Way is completely obscured.

From Aurora, the sky allows for observing the Moon, planets, and bright stars, with narrowband imaging possible, albeit requiring care. However, deep-sky observation is not feasible with broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, and wider Milky Way features entirely washed out.

For those seeking substantially darker skies, County Road East, around 275 km south-east, is recommended as a worthwhile destination for serious deep-sky enthusiasts. This site offers drastically improved conditions under a Bortle 3 classification.

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 East, Colorado sits about 276 km south east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 24x darker.

Good dark window

Aurora'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 Aurora?

No. Aurora is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.11, 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 Aurora?

Aurora is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.11), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Aurora good for stargazing?

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

Is Aurora good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Aurora?

Primary targets from Aurora 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 Aurora?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is County Road 4, Colorado, about 32 km west of Aurora, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Aurora?

The sky over Aurora is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Aurora getting better or worse?

There is not yet enough long-term data to give a confident trend for Aurora.

• County Road 4, Colorado

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  32.3

  SQM

  19.67

  Bortle

  6

• Kuner, Colorado

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  76.5

  SQM

  20.03

  Bortle

  6

• County Road East, Colorado

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  275.7

  SQM

  21.58

  Bortle

  3