Hobart Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.75

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

30%

Dataset

April 2026

City sky

Hobart: The Practical Verdict

Hobart, a small city in Australia, offers a sky affected by high light pollution. Observing conditions are poor within the city, with only the brightest celestial targets visible. The most notable limitation here is the lack of Milky Way visibility due to the bright urban sky.

In these conditions, the best visual and imaging opportunities focus on objects like the Moon, planets, bright stars, and double stars. Fainter targets such as deep-sky objects and meteor showers are significantly impaired. The eastern horizon tends to be brighter, while skies to the west offer slightly cleaner views, though not enough to drastically improve visibility.

For stargazers seeking darker skies, Alonnah, located about 45 km to the south, presents a substantial upgrade with a markedly darker environment and visibility of many deep-sky objects. This makes it a worthwhile short trip for better astronomical experiences.

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

Alonnah, Tasmania sits about 45 km south and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 15x darker.

Good dark window

Hobart'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 Hobart?

No. Hobart is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.75, 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 Hobart?

Hobart is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.75), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Hobart good for stargazing?

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

Is Hobart good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Hobart?

Primary targets from Hobart 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 Hobart?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Dunalley, Tasmania, about 38 km east of Hobart, reaching Bortle 4.

When is the sky darkest in Hobart?

The sky over Hobart is darkest around June, July.

Is light pollution in Hobart getting better or worse?

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

• Alonnah, Tasmania

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  45

  SQM

  21.72

  Bortle

  2

• Premaydena, Tasmania

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  41.8

  SQM

  21.49

  Bortle

  3

• Dunalley, Tasmania

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  38.1

  SQM

  21.18

  Bortle

  4

• Kellevie, Tasmania

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  40.4

  SQM

  21.08

  Bortle

  4

• Raminea, Tasmania

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  55.6

  SQM

  21.58

  Bortle

  3

• Southwest, Tasmania

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  65.3

  SQM

  21.69

  Bortle

  3