Bamako Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.12

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

35%

Dataset

April 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Bamako: The Practical Verdict

Bamako, the capital city of Mali, is a densely populated urban area struggling with significant light pollution. The night sky here is rated as Class 7 on the Bortle scale, which corresponds to high light pollution conditions, rendering it a challenging environment for stargazing.

The Milky Way is not visible from Bamako, and deep-sky astronomy is largely impractical. Observational focus can be directed towards brighter targets such as the Moon, planets, and notable double stars. Narrowband imaging of emission nebulae may yield results with careful equipment setup and processing, but broader astronomical photography or visual deep-sky exploration is best avoided.

For those in search of a truly dark sky, the site at Allasso in Koulikoro, located roughly 255 km north of Bamako, offers a significant improvement. With conditions rated around Bortle 2, this site provides exceptional opportunities for deep-sky observing and astrophotography.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor urban/suburban sky - This is a poor sky for astronomy. The Moon, planets, and a few bright objects remain viable, but deep-sky work is difficult.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not realistically visible from this level of light pollution.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing

Do not prioritise

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

Best nearby upgrade

Allasso, Koulikoro sits about 253 km north and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 12x darker.

Good dark window

Bamako retains astronomical darkness throughout the year, so seasonality is less extreme than at higher latitudes. The main limitation is light pollution, not the length of the dark window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Bamako?

No. Bamako is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.12, 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 Bamako?

Bamako is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.12), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Bamako good for stargazing?

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

Is Bamako good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Bamako and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Narrowband imaging of bright emission nebulae remains viable from Bamako with appropriate Ha or OIII filters.

What can you observe from Bamako?

Primary targets from Bamako include Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Bamako?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Allasso, Koulikoro, about 253 km north of Bamako, reaching Bortle 2.

When is the sky darkest in Bamako?

The sky over Bamako is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Bamako getting better or worse?

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

• Allasso, Koulikoro

  Direction

  N

  Distance (km)

  252.5

  SQM

  21.85

  Bortle

  2

• Gossi, Kayes

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  266.7

  SQM

  21.84

  Bortle

  2

• Lako, Kankan Region

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  274.8

  SQM

  21.76

  Bortle

  2