Chicago Stargazing & Astronomy Report
Light pollution and stargazing locations near Chicago
- City
- Chicago
- Country
- United States
- Latitude
- 41.8781
- Longitude
- -87.6298
Key Sky Quality Metrics
- SQM (mag/arcsec²)
- 17.40
- Bortle class
- Class 9 (Class 9)
- Darkness Quotient
- 18%
- Dataset
- August 2026
Inner city sky
Chicago: The Practical Verdict
Chicago, located in Illinois, is a global metropolis that suffers from extreme light pollution. This results in a severe urban sky where the Milky Way is not visible at all. For astronomical observation, the dense urban setting presents considerable obstacles.
From here, bright objects like the Moon, planets, and double stars are the most observable targets, making them the primary focus of any stargazing sessions within the city. Attempting to observe deeper sky objects or engage in broad field imaging is ineffective due to the excessive light interference. Narrowband imaging can be attempted but with great caution as the bright sky background can dominate results.
For better stargazing experiences, South Haven Charter Township in Michigan, about 125 km east north-east of Chicago, represents the best option. Offering Bortle Class 4 conditions, it's a worthwhile drive for those seeking a noticeably darker sky for serious deep-sky observations.
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
- South Haven Charter Township, Michigan sits about 125 km east north east and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 23x darker.
- Good dark window
- Chicago'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 Chicago?
No. Chicago is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.40, 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 Chicago?
Chicago is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.40), a severe urban sky for astronomy.
Is Chicago good for stargazing?
Not for serious deep-sky observing. Chicago is a severe urban sky where the Moon, planets, and a handful of bright targets are the realistic options from the city itself.
Is Chicago good for astrophotography?
Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Chicago and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Even narrowband imaging is difficult from Chicago without careful processing.
What can you observe from Chicago?
Primary targets from Chicago 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 Chicago?
The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Michigan, about 70 km east of Chicago, reaching Bortle 5.
When is the sky darkest in Chicago?
The sky over Chicago is darkest around January, December.
Is light pollution in Chicago getting better or worse?
Long-term light pollution over Chicago has been broadly stable across the available measurements.
north - marginal
The north lower sky is measurably brighter than the darker quarters. Limit faint work to above about 20 degrees here.
north-north-east - fair
A trace of skyglow near the north-north-east horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.
north-east - fair
The north-east sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.
east-north-east - good
The east-north-east horizon is dark. Faint stars are visible close to the ground.
east - fair
Light glow detectable on the east horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.
east-south-east - fair
A faint diffuse glow on the east-south-east horizon. Stars are visible to low elevation, with minor losses near the ground.
south-east - fair
Faint glow on the south-east horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.
south-south-east - poor
Strong skyglow on the south-south-east horizon. Stars below about 30 degrees in this direction are largely lost.
south - poor
Strong skyglow on the south horizon. Stars below about 30 degrees in this direction are largely lost.
south-south-west - poor
Heavy light pollution to the south-south-west. The lower 30 degrees of sky in this direction are unusable for faint targets.
south-west - poor
Heavy light pollution to the south-west. The lower 30 degrees of sky in this direction are unusable for faint targets.
west-south-west - poor
The west-south-west horizon shows a strong orange-white glow. Star counts drop sharply below about 25 degrees here.
west - poor
Strong skyglow on the west horizon. Stars below about 30 degrees in this direction are largely lost.
west-north-west - poor
The lower west-north-west sky is heavily light-polluted. Only the brightest stars stand out near the horizon.
north-west - poor
The lower north-west sky is heavily light-polluted. Only the brightest stars stand out near the horizon.
north-north-west - poor
The north-north-west sky is washed out near the horizon. Most constellation stars in the lower sky here are not visible.
zenith - poor
The zenith sky is bright. The Milky Way is absent and most constellation stars are not visible.
-
Michigan
- Direction
- E
- Distance (km)
- 70.1
- SQM
- 20.46
- Bortle
- 5
-
County Road 200, Indiana
- Direction
- SSE
- Distance (km)
- 102.6
- SQM
- 20.32
- Bortle
- 5
-
South Haven Charter Township, Michigan
- Direction
- ENE
- Distance (km)
- 124.7
- SQM
- 20.81
- Bortle
- 4
-
Walnut, Indiana
- Direction
- ESE
- Distance (km)
- 142.2
- SQM
- 20.32
- Bortle
- 5
-
Town of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
- Direction
- WNW
- Distance (km)
- 205.4
- SQM
- 20.36
- Bortle
- 5