Casablanca Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.48

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

19%

Dataset

July 2026

Inner city sky

Casablanca: The Practical Verdict

Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco and situated within the Casablanca-Settat region, possesses a substantial urban light dome, categorising it under extreme light pollution. As a result, stargazers will find this environment severely limits observational quality. The Milky Way is entirely absent from view.

Astronomers in Casablanca should concentrate on the Moon, planets, bright stars, and double stars as these remain visible despite the city's overwhelming sky brightness. For those interested in imaging, narrowband methods might offer some success; however, deep-sky targets such as galaxies and nebulae are to be avoided. The south-south-western horizon holds the brightest light while the north-north-west offers comparatively cleaner skies.

For enthusiasts seeking deeper exploration beyond the glare, the darkest nearby option is Sidi Ettiji in the Marrakech-Safi region, located south-west and approximately a two-hour drive away. This site provides significantly darker skies conducive to serious deep-sky observation.

At a Glance

Overall

Severe urban sky - This is a severely light-polluted urban sky. Only the Moon, planets, bright stars, and a few specialist targets remain practical.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not visible from this sky.

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

Sidi Ettiji, Marrakech-Safi sits about 196 km south west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 27x darker.

Good dark window

Casablanca'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 Casablanca?

No. Casablanca is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.48, 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 Casablanca?

Casablanca is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.48), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Casablanca good for stargazing?

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

Is Casablanca good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Casablanca?

Primary targets from Casablanca 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 Casablanca?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Ain Tizgha, Casablanca-Settat, about 51 km east north east of Casablanca, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Casablanca?

The sky over Casablanca is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Casablanca getting better or worse?

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

• Zaouiat Sidi BenHamdoun, Casablanca-Settat

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  64.9

  SQM

  20.54

  Bortle

  5

• Ain Tizgha, Casablanca-Settat

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  50.9

  SQM

  19.61

  Bortle

  6

• Sidi Hajjaj, Casablanca-Settat

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  80.9

  SQM

  20.59

  Bortle

  5

• Sidi Ettiji, Marrakech-Safi

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  196.1

  SQM

  21.07

  Bortle

  4