Glendale Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.78

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

21%

Dataset

July 2026

Inner city sky

Glendale: The Practical Verdict

Glendale, a mid-size city in Arizona with a suburban setting, experiences a sky with severe urban light pollution. The overall sky quality is poor for observing, with a brightness level ranking under high light pollution. This restricts many astronomy opportunities.

The Milky Way is not visible here, and visual deep-sky targets should be avoided. Instead, the moon, planets, and double stars can be observed with ease, along with solar system events. Narrowband imaging requires care, but is feasible on the brightest targets. For genuine dark-sky experiences, notable targets like broad galaxies and nebulous features are not well supported.

To witness significantly darker skies, Coconino County, Arizona is a viable option, situated approximately north-north-east of Glendale. It offers a substantial improvement in terms of sky quality, suitable for those serious about deep-sky observing, and is worth considering.

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

Coconino County, Arizona sits about 253 km north north east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 30x darker.

Good dark window

Glendale'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 Glendale?

No. Glendale is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.78, 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 Glendale?

Glendale is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.78), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Glendale good for stargazing?

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

Is Glendale good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Glendale?

Primary targets from Glendale 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 Glendale?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Pima County, Arizona, about 157 km south south west of Glendale, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Glendale?

The sky over Glendale is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Glendale getting better or worse?

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

• Pima County, Arizona

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  156.9

  SQM

  20.71

  Bortle

  5

• Coconino County, Arizona

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  252.5

  SQM

  21.49

  Bortle

  3

• Imperial County, California

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  239.2

  SQM

  20.84

  Bortle

  4