Guatemala City Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.34

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

26%

Dataset

July 2026

City sky

Guatemala City: The Practical Verdict

Guatemala City, the bustling capital of Guatemala, is unfortunately burdened with high light pollution, making it challenging for serious stargazing. The overall verdict is clear: this is a poor city sky for astronomy, with the Milky Way entirely obscured by the bright urban sky background. The southern city lights are notably intense, further diminishing the viewing conditions.

Realistically, from this location, visual observing should focus on the Moon, planets, and bright stars. Double stars and solar system events are also viable targets. However, visual deep-sky observing is mostly fruitless, and broad-sky imaging is dominated by the city's sky glow. Narrowband imaging can be attempted, albeit with caution.

For a more rewarding experience, a trip to Chicacao, Suchitepéquez, around 100 km to the west-south-west, offers a better alternative. Here, a Bortle 4 sky provides the opportunity for more detailed exploration of deep-sky objects and a satisfying night under a clearer sky.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor city sky - This is a poor city sky. The Milky Way is not visible and most deep-sky observing is unrealistic from the location itself.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is erased by the bright urban sky background.

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

Chicacao, Suchitepéquez sits about 98 km west south west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 13x darker.

Good dark window

Guatemala City retains astronomical darkness throughout the year, so seasonality is less extreme than at higher latitudes. The main limitation is light pollution, not the length of the dark window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Guatemala City?

No. Guatemala City is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.34, 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 Guatemala City?

Guatemala City is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.34), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Guatemala City good for stargazing?

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

Is Guatemala City good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Guatemala City?

Primary targets from Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Mataquescuintla, Jalapa, about 38 km east of Guatemala City, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Guatemala City?

The sky over Guatemala City is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Guatemala City getting better or worse?

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

• Mataquescuintla, Jalapa

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  38.1

  SQM

  20.43

  Bortle

  5

• El Naranjito, Santa Rosa

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  56.7

  SQM

  20.39

  Bortle

  5

• Xajaxac, Sololá

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  76.2

  SQM

  20.87

  Bortle

  4

• El Jute, Jutiapa

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  88.7

  SQM

  21.02

  Bortle

  4

• Chicacao, Suchitepéquez

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  98.4

  SQM

  21.16

  Bortle

  4

• Huehuetenango

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  130.8

  SQM

  21.26

  Bortle

  4