Conakry Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.03

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

33%

Dataset

August 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Conakry: The Practical Verdict

Conakry, the capital city of Guinea, is a densely populated urban environment. Unfortunately, stargazing opportunities are significantly limited by high light pollution. The overall sky quality here is poor, falling within the suburban/urban transition category. The primary limiting factor is the pervasive light pollution obscuring fainter celestial sights.

From this sky, the Milky Way remains elusive and is not visible. For observers, the focus should be on brighter objects; the Moon, planets, bright double stars, and open clusters are the main targets. Attempts at deep-sky visual astronomy or Milky Way photography are largely futile. However, careful narrowband imaging might still be of interest to more determined observers.

For those seeking darker skies, Kipulun in the Port Loko District offers a notable improvement. Located about 105 km south south-east, it is a site worth visiting for more serious deep-sky observations under a Bortle 3 sky.

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

Kipulun, Port Loko District sits about 105 km south south east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 12x darker.

Good dark window

Conakry 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 Conakry?

No. Conakry is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.03, 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 Conakry?

Conakry is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.03), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Conakry good for stargazing?

Not for serious deep-sky observing. Conakry 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 Conakry good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Conakry?

Primary targets from Conakry 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 Conakry?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Arabanty, Kindia Region, about 28 km north of Conakry, reaching Bortle 4.

When is the sky darkest in Conakry?

The sky over Conakry is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Conakry getting better or worse?

The long-term trend for Conakry is gradually worsening, with the sky brightening by about 0.07 SQM per year.

• Arabanty, Kindia Region

  Direction

  N

  Distance (km)

  27.5

  SQM

  21.10

  Bortle

  4

• Meliboun, Kindia Region

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  37.5

  SQM

  21.02

  Bortle

  4

• Kipulun, Port Loko District

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  105

  SQM

  21.69

  Bortle

  3

• Kinkon, Boké Region

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  117

  SQM

  21.62

  Bortle

  3