Aurora Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.02

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

23%

Dataset

May 2026

City sky

Aurora: The Practical Verdict

Aurora, a suburban area in Colorado, offers a challenging environment for stargazing, characterised by high light pollution. The city sky is rated as poor, with a Bortle Class 8 and an SQM of 18.02, meaning the Milky Way is not visible at all. The brightest urban sector is due west towards Denver, limiting the depth of observable celestial objects.

From this environment, observations are mainly limited to targets like the Moon, planets, and bright stars. Double stars and solar system events are also viable, but serious astronomers will find deep-sky viewing severely hindered. Narrowband imaging may be attempted with care, but broader structures like nebulae and galaxies are off the table under these conditions.

For those looking to escape the limits of Aurora's skies, Itasca Township, Kansas, provides a significantly darker site about 275 km to the east. This destination allows access to richer deep-sky opportunities.

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

Itasca Township, Kansas sits about 277 km east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 29x 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 18.02, 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 18.02), 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 Bent County, Colorado, about 267 km south east of Aurora, reaching Bortle 3.

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.

• Itasca Township, Kansas

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  277

  SQM

  21.68

  Bortle

  3

• Bent County, Colorado

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  266.7

  SQM

  21.32

  Bortle

  3

• Ough, Nebraska

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  289.4

  SQM

  21.47

  Bortle

  3