Copenhagen Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Light pollution and stargazing locations near Copenhagen

City
Copenhagen
Country
Denmark
Latitude
55.6761
Longitude
12.5683

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)
17.66
Bortle class
Class 9 (Class 9)
Darkness Quotient
20%
Dataset
April 2026

Inner city sky

Copenhagen: The Practical Verdict

Copenhagen, as expected from its status as Denmark's largest city, suffers from considerable light pollution. The night sky here is rated as Class 9 on the Bortle scale, placing it firmly in the severe urban sky category. Observationally, this means deep-sky objects are largely beyond reach, and the Milky Way is not visible.

Even in these conditions, some celestial observation is possible. The Moon, planets, and the brightest stars can be observed clearly, while double stars and certain solar system events remain accessible. Imaging enthusiasts can attempt narrowband techniques, though ambient sky brightness will limit success versus darker locales.

For those seeking significantly improved conditions, Hovmarken in Region Zealand, around 80 km south of Copenhagen, offers a substantial upgrade. With much darker skies, it is a worthwhile option for activities like deep-sky observing and astrophotography.

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
Hovmarken, Region Zealand sits about 78 km south and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 42x darker.
Moderate dark window
Copenhagen's limiting factor is not only light pollution. Around midsummer, Copenhagen loses true astronomical darkness entirely, so deep-sky observing and imaging are strongly seasonal. Plan serious sessions around the darker months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Copenhagen?

No. Copenhagen is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.66, 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 Copenhagen?

Copenhagen is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.66), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Copenhagen good for stargazing?

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

Is Copenhagen good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Copenhagen?

Primary targets from Copenhagen 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 Copenhagen?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Borsholm, Capital Region of Denmark, about 44 km south south west of Copenhagen, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Copenhagen?

The sky over Copenhagen is darkest around January, December. Major high-latitude limitation: around 95 nights per year have no true astronomical darkness.

Is light pollution in Copenhagen getting better or worse?

The long-term trend for Copenhagen is gradually worsening, with the sky brightening by about 0.05 SQM per year.

north - good

The north sky is dark to the horizon. Faint targets are accessible at all elevations here.

north-north-east - good

Dark horizon to the north-north-east. Faint stars and extended objects in this direction behave much as they do overhead.

north-east - good

The north-east horizon is dark. Faint stars are visible close to the ground.

east-north-east - good

Dark horizon to the east-north-east. Faint stars and extended objects in this direction behave much as they do overhead.

east - good

The east horizon is dark. Faint stars are visible close to the ground.

east-south-east - good

The east-south-east horizon is dark. Faint stars are visible close to the ground.

south-east - good

No noticeable light pollution to the south-east. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.

south-south-east - good

No noticeable light pollution to the south-south-east. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.

south - good

Dark sky in the south direction with no obvious skyglow. Suitable for faint-object work at low elevation.

south-south-west - good

Dark horizon to the south-south-west. Faint stars and extended objects in this direction behave much as they do overhead.

south-west - good

Dark horizon to the south-west. Faint stars and extended objects in this direction behave much as they do overhead.

west-south-west - fair

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

west - fair

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

west-north-west - fair

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

north-west - fair

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

north-north-west - fair

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

zenith - poor

The zenith is bright enough to be obvious without dark adaptation. The Milky Way is not visible.

  • Nakke Lyng, Region Zealand
    Direction
    WNW
    Distance (km)
    59
    SQM
    21.23
    Bortle
    4
  • Hovmarken, Region Zealand
    Direction
    S
    Distance (km)
    77.5
    SQM
    21.71
    Bortle
    2
  • Gammel Tappernøje, Region Zealand
    Direction
    SSW
    Distance (km)
    67.4
    SQM
    21.20
    Bortle
    4
  • Borsholm, Capital Region of Denmark
    Direction
    SSW
    Distance (km)
    44.3
    SQM
    20.16
    Bortle
    6
  • Lærkehuse, Region Zealand
    Direction
    W
    Distance (km)
    63.9
    SQM
    20.58
    Bortle
    5
  • Stavskog
    Direction
    E
    Distance (km)
    80
    SQM
    20.78
    Bortle
    5