Dakar Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.54

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

28%

Dataset

August 2026

City sky

Dakar: The Practical Verdict

As a major urban centre, Dakar in Senegal presents obstacles for stargazing due to high light pollution. With a sky under the Bortle class 8 categorisation, observations of celestial bodies are very limited. The city's overwhelming brightness erases the Milky Way, and serious stargazing is greatly hindered.

Observing targets in Dakar are realistically confined to the Moon, planets, and bright stars. Pursuits such as hunting down faint nebulae or distant galaxies become impractical here. Narrowband imaging and electronic-assisted astronomy might bring some success but will still be underwhelming compared to rural locations.

For those willing to travel, the Communauté rurale de Kafountine offers a more promising sky for serious deep-sky observation. Head about 220 km to the south south east to experience a notably darker Bortle 3 sky, well worth the drive.

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

Communauté rurale de Kafountine sits about 221 km south south east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 17x darker.

Good dark window

Dakar 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 Dakar?

No. Dakar is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.54, 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 Dakar?

Dakar is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.54), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Dakar good for stargazing?

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

Is Dakar good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Dakar?

Primary targets from Dakar 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 Dakar?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Gadiaga, about 51 km east north east of Dakar, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Dakar?

The sky over Dakar is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Dakar getting better or worse?

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

• Gadiaga

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  50.9

  SQM

  20.20

  Bortle

  6

• Communauté rurale de Fimela, Fatick Region

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  99.8

  SQM

  21.06

  Bortle

  4

• Pakala Santhie, Fatick Region

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  159.5

  SQM

  21.54

  Bortle

  3

• Communauté rurale de Kafountine

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  221.4

  SQM

  21.63

  Bortle

  3