Edmonton Stargazing & Astronomy Report
Light pollution and stargazing locations near Edmonton
- City
- Edmonton
- Country
- Canada
- Latitude
- 53.5461
- Longitude
- -113.4938
Key Sky Quality Metrics
- SQM (mag/arcsec²)
- 17.30
- Bortle class
- Class 9 (Class 9)
- Darkness Quotient
- 18%
- Dataset
- May 2026
Inner city sky
Edmonton: The Practical Verdict
Edmonton is a major city in Alberta, characterised by its dense urban environment. The severe urban sky here results in extreme light pollution, limiting the quality of astronomical observing. The dominant light dome means most celestial objects are washed out, and the Milky Way remains invisible.
In this sky, the Moon and planets, along with bright stars and solar system events, remain the prime targets. Double stars offer some interest, and narrowband imaging can yield results, though with care. Broadband galaxies and faint nebulae are largely unattainable due to sky brightness.
For significantly better conditions, Improvement District No. 9, about 300 km south-west, offers a meaningful escape to darker skies. It is a worthwhile drive if serious deep-sky observing is your goal, providing relief from the harsh urban lightscape.
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
- Improvement District No. 9, Alberta sits about 299 km south west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 53x darker.
- Moderate dark window
- Edmonton's limiting factor is not only light pollution. Around midsummer, Edmonton 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 Edmonton?
No. Edmonton is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.30, 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 Edmonton?
Edmonton is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.30), a severe urban sky for astronomy.
Is Edmonton good for stargazing?
Not for serious deep-sky observing. Edmonton is a severe urban sky where the Moon, planets, and a handful of bright targets are the realistic options from the city itself.
Is Edmonton good for astrophotography?
Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Edmonton and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Even narrowband imaging is difficult from Edmonton without careful processing.
What can you observe from Edmonton?
Primary targets from Edmonton 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 Edmonton?
The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Lac La Biche County, Alberta, about 269 km north north east of Edmonton, reaching Bortle 3.
When is the sky darkest in Edmonton?
The sky over Edmonton is darkest around January, December. Significant summer limitation: around 78 nights per year have no true astronomical darkness.
Is light pollution in Edmonton getting better or worse?
Long-term light pollution over Edmonton has been broadly stable across the available measurements.
north - fair
A faint diffuse glow on the north horizon. Stars are visible to low elevation, with minor losses near the ground.
north-north-east - fair
Faint glow on the north-north-east horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.
north-east - fair
A faint diffuse glow on the north-east horizon. Stars are visible to low elevation, with minor losses near the ground.
east-north-east - marginal
A diffuse glow sits on the east-north-east horizon. Faint objects below 20 degrees in this direction are compromised.
east - marginal
A diffuse glow sits on the east horizon. Faint objects below 20 degrees in this direction are compromised.
east-south-east - fair
Faint glow on the east-south-east horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.
south-east - fair
A trace of skyglow near the south-east horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.
south-south-east - marginal
The south-south-east lower sky is measurably brighter than the darker quarters. Limit faint work to above about 20 degrees here.
south - marginal
The south lower sky is measurably brighter than the darker quarters. Limit faint work to above about 20 degrees here.
south-south-west - marginal
Noticeable glow on the south-south-west horizon. Stars below about 20 degrees in this direction are dimmed.
south-west - fair
The south-west sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.
west-south-west - fair
A trace of skyglow near the west-south-west horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.
west - marginal
The west sky shows a clear glow near the ground. Above about 20 degrees the sky returns to workable.
west-north-west - fair
A faint diffuse glow on the west-north-west horizon. Stars are visible to low elevation, with minor losses near the ground.
north-west - marginal
The north-west lower sky is measurably brighter than the darker quarters. Limit faint work to above about 20 degrees here.
north-north-west - fair
A trace of skyglow near the north-north-west horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.
zenith - poor
The zenith sky background is high. Most faint stars are absent and the Milky Way cannot be seen.
-
Lac La Biche County, Alberta
- Direction
- NNE
- Distance (km)
- 268.7
- SQM
- 21.52
- Bortle
- 3
-
Ghost River Road, Alberta
- Direction
- SSW
- Distance (km)
- 274
- SQM
- 21.52
- Bortle
- 3
-
Township Road 310, Alberta
- Direction
- SE
- Distance (km)
- 285.6
- SQM
- 21.59
- Bortle
- 3
-
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
- Direction
- SW
- Distance (km)
- 298.7
- SQM
- 21.61
- Bortle
- 3