Geraldton Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.12

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

35%

Dataset

May 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Geraldton: The Practical Verdict

Geraldton, a small city located in Western Australia, is subject to high light pollution. Overall, the sky quality is poor for serious astronomical activities, with a primarily suburban to urban transition hindering deeper observations. The eastern-south-eastern horizon is particularly affected by light, while the western horizon offers a slightly cleaner view.

From Geraldton, astronomical activities are best focused on the Moon, planets, and bright open clusters. These are visible despite the high levels of light pollution. However, deep-sky observing is significantly compromised, making galaxies and the Milky Way elusive. The Milky Way is indeed not realistically visible here due to the pollution levels.

For those willing to travel for darker skies, Coburn in Western Australia lies to the west and offers a significant upgrade, with a sky quality akin to Bortle class 2. This location is meaningfully darker and can make a worthwhile difference for serious deep-sky enthusiasts.

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

Coburn, Western Australia sits about 238 km west and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 11x darker.

Good dark window

Geraldton's longest dark windows fall in June and July, with the shortest nights around December and January. For deep-sky imaging, winter gives the best combination of long nights and true astronomical darkness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Geraldton?

No. Geraldton is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.12, 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 Geraldton?

Geraldton is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.12), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Geraldton good for stargazing?

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

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

What can you observe from Geraldton?

Primary targets from Geraldton 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 Geraldton?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Geraldton, Western Australia, about 13 km south south east of Geraldton, reaching Bortle 4.

When is the sky darkest in Geraldton?

The sky over Geraldton is darkest around June, July.

Is light pollution in Geraldton getting better or worse?

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

• Geraldton, Western Australia

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  13.4

  SQM

  20.87

  Bortle

  4

• Western Australia

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  85

  SQM

  21.65

  Bortle

  3

• Coburn, Western Australia

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  237.5

  SQM

  21.72

  Bortle

  2