Geraldton Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.12

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

35%

Dataset

April 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Geraldton: The Practical Verdict

Geraldton is a small city situated in Western Australia, with light pollution levels categorised as high, making it a challenging location for stargazing. Under a Bortle class 7 sky, where the Milky Way is not visible, Geraldton's main astronomical appeal lies in observing the Moon, planets, and several bright double stars and clusters; however, deep-sky exploration is significantly restricted.

From Geraldton, the cleanest view is towards the west-south-west, with the brightest horizon being the east-south-east. Opportunities exist for narrowband imaging of bright nebulae, but visual observers would find little satisfaction with faint deep-sky objects. For those seeking darker skies, significantly improved conditions could be accessed by travelling to Coburn in Western Australia, located west of Geraldton at around 235 km, where the skies are measured at Bortle 2 for exceptional clarity.

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 237 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 14 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)

  13.7

  SQM

  20.81

  Bortle

  4

• Western Australia

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  85

  SQM

  21.65

  Bortle

  3

• Coburn, Western Australia

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  237.4

  SQM

  21.73

  Bortle

  2