Aurora Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.11

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

24%

Dataset

August 2026

City sky

Aurora: The Practical Verdict

Aurora, a mid-size suburban city in Colorado, is dominated by high light pollution, heavily impacting night-time viewing. The overall astronomical quality in Aurora is poor, with the bright urban sky completely erasing the Milky Way from view. The primary limiting factor is the substantial light dome exacerbated by Denver's proximity to the west.

While glaring light pollution restricts deep-sky observing, the Moon, planets, and bright stars can still be enjoyed. For any narrowband imaging, great care is required, but broadband deep-sky imaging is largely impractical due to the intense sky background.

For those seeking significantly better skies, County Road East, Colorado offers a meaningful upgrade for serious deep-sky pursuits. Located about 275 km south-east, this site provides much darker conditions under Bortle Class 3 skies for dedicated observers.

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?

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

• 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