Glendale Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.85

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

22%

Dataset

August 2026

Inner city sky

Glendale: The Practical Verdict

Glendale, located in the suburban sprawl of Arizona, suffers from severe light pollution, largely due to the proximity of Phoenix to the south-east. The sky here is a textbook example of a severe urban sky, with Bortle Class 9 conditions making true stargazing challenging. Light pollution from Phoenix dominates, particularly towards the south-east horizon.

The Milky Way is completely obscured in Glendale, with only the brightest celestial objects visible. The Moon, planets, bright stars, and solar system events provide the most reliable targets. Narrowband imaging is possible, but deep-sky enthusiasts will find broadband galaxies and faint nebulae elusive. Avoid attempting any widefield Milky Way photography or faint meteor shower observing here.

For those seeking a genuine stargazing experience, the best upgrade is San Luis Río Colorado in Sonora, situated about 250 km to the west-south-west. This location offers markedly improved conditions with Bortle 4 skies, making it worthwhile for serious night sky observation.

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

San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora sits about 248 km west south west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 17x 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 17.85, 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 17.85), 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 Eloy, Arizona, about 97 km south east of Glendale, reaching Bortle 6.

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?

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

• Eloy, Arizona

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  97.4

  SQM

  19.93

  Bortle

  6

• Maricopa County, Arizona

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  99.2

  SQM

  19.47

  Bortle

  7

• San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  247.9

  SQM

  20.95

  Bortle

  4