Banha Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Light pollution and stargazing locations near Banha

City
Banha
Country
Egypt
Latitude
30.4618
Longitude
31.1797

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)
18.38
Bortle class
Class 8 (Class 8)
Darkness Quotient
26%
Dataset
May 2026

City sky

Banha: The Practical Verdict

Banha, located in Al Qalyubiya, is a mid-size city north of Cairo. The overall quality of stargazing here is poor due to high light pollution from the dense urban environment. As a result, the Milky Way is not visible at all, and viewing conditions are significantly compromised by the city's brightness, especially towards the south-south-west.

Visually, stargazers in Banha can focus on observing the Moon, planets, bright stars, and double stars. While some solar system events can be enjoyed, deep-sky observing is largely impractical. For imaging, narrowband techniques are necessary to overcome the sky's brightness, although even then, the gradients can be challenging.

While nearby improvements exist, such as the site at Al Malakeen Al Bahareya Village to the east north east, they offer only moderate relief from the city's light dome.

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
Limited nearby upgrade
Al Malakeen Al Bahareya Village, Sharqia Governorate is the strongest nearby option but remains Bortle 6; the improvement is real but modest.
Good dark window
Banha'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 Banha?

No. Banha is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.38, 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 Banha?

Banha is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.38), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Banha good for stargazing?

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

Is Banha good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Banha?

Primary targets from Banha 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 Banha?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is El Mansura, Ad Dakahliya, about 69 km south east of Banha, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Banha?

The sky over Banha is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Banha getting better or worse?

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

north - fair

Faint glow on the north horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.

north-north-east - fair

The north-north-east sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.

north-east - fair

A trace of skyglow near the north-east horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.

east-north-east - fair

A trace of skyglow near the east-north-east horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.

east - fair

A trace of skyglow near the east horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.

east-south-east - fair

Light glow detectable on the east-south-east horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.

south-east - fair

Light glow detectable on the south-east horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.

south-south-east - fair

Light glow detectable on the south-south-east horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.

south - fair

A trace of skyglow near the south horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.

south-south-west - fair

Faint glow on the south-south-west horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.

south-west - fair

Faint glow on the south-west horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.

west-south-west - fair

The west-south-west sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.

west - fair

The west sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.

west-north-west - fair

Light glow detectable on the west-north-west horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.

north-west - fair

The north-west sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.

north-north-west - fair

A faint diffuse glow on the north-north-west horizon. Stars are visible to low elevation, with minor losses near the ground.

zenith - marginal

The zenith is brighter than natural. The Milky Way cannot be seen and faint deep-sky objects are not accessible.

  • Kafr al Mislimani, Kafr El Sheikh
    Direction
    NNW
    Distance (km)
    74.3
    SQM
    19.82
    Bortle
    6
  • El Mansura, Ad Dakahliya
    Direction
    SE
    Distance (km)
    69
    SQM
    19.71
    Bortle
    6
  • Al Malakeen Al Bahareya Village, Sharqia Governorate
    Direction
    ENE
    Distance (km)
    81.5
    SQM
    19.83
    Bortle
    6
  • Beheira Governorate
    Direction
    WNW
    Distance (km)
    69.3
    SQM
    19.51
    Bortle
    7