Clearwater Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.25

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

25%

Dataset

August 2026

City sky

Clearwater: The Practical Verdict

Clearwater, a small city in Florida, lies in the belt of high light pollution. Stargazing is severely compromised here due to the poor city sky conditions. The Milky Way is completely washed out, with only the brightest celestial bodies managing to pierce the light dome.

From Clearwater, focus on observing the Moon, planets, bright stars, and double stars. Solar system events remain viable subjects, but deep-sky observations, like galaxies and widefield Milky Way views, are largely ineffective. The dominant sky brightness particularly weakens the potential for visual deep-sky exploring.

For better sky conditions, Howell Place in Florida, situated north-northwest and around 215 km away, offers a significant upgrade. The SQM value there indicates a much darker sky, making it a worthwhile trip for serious astronomers seeking pristine conditions.

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

Howell Place, Florida sits about 213 km north north west and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 25x darker.

Good dark window

Clearwater'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 Clearwater?

No. Clearwater is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.25, 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 Clearwater?

Clearwater is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.25), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Clearwater good for stargazing?

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

Is Clearwater good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Clearwater?

Primary targets from Clearwater 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 Clearwater?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Ramdom Lane, Florida, about 68 km north east of Clearwater, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Clearwater?

The sky over Clearwater is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Clearwater getting better or worse?

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

• Ramdom Lane, Florida

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  68

  SQM

  19.64

  Bortle

  6

• Satellite Court, Florida

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  74.6

  SQM

  19.68

  Bortle

  6

• Pine Island Road, Florida

  Direction

  N

  Distance (km)

  140.9

  SQM

  20.90

  Bortle

  4

• Fort Ogden, Florida

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  128.3

  SQM

  20.19

  Bortle

  6

• Howell Place, Florida

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  212.5

  SQM

  21.73

  Bortle

  2

• Bull Road, Florida

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  163.9

  SQM

  20.36

  Bortle

  5