Garland Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.59

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

20%

Dataset

July 2026

Inner city sky

Garland: The Practical Verdict

Garland is a small city in Texas, positioned within the suburban sprawl of the Dallas metropolitan area. The sky quality here is marred by extreme light pollution, making it a challenging environment for serious stargazing. The severe urban sky conditions are the primary limiting factor for observing from this location.

In Garland, the Milky Way is not visible, and stargazers will mainly contend with bright celestial bodies. Targets such as the Moon, planets, bright stars, and double stars are the most realistic options. While narrowband imaging is possible, deep-sky observation in broadband is highly impractical due to the overwhelming light glow.

For those looking to escape the light pollution, Atoka County in Oklahoma offers a notable improvement, around 170 km to the north. This location provides a significantly darker sky for more ambitious astronomical pursuits.

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

Atoka County, Oklahoma sits about 169 km north and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 22x darker.

Good dark window

Garland'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 Garland?

No. Garland is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.59, 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 Garland?

Garland is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.59), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Garland good for stargazing?

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

Is Garland good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Garland?

Primary targets from Garland 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 Garland?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Gordonville, Texas, about 99 km west north west of Garland, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Garland?

The sky over Garland is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Garland getting better or worse?

There is not yet enough long-term data to give a confident trend for Garland.

• County Road 1441, Texas

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  103

  SQM

  20.47

  Bortle

  5

• Gordonville, Texas

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  98.5

  SQM

  19.70

  Bortle

  6

• Atoka County, Oklahoma

  Direction

  N

  Distance (km)

  169.3

  SQM

  20.93

  Bortle

  4

• LaSalle, Texas

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  156.5

  SQM

  20.40

  Bortle

  5