Ibadan Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

20.26

Bortle class

Class 6 (Class 6)

Darkness Quotient

53%

Dataset

May 2026

Bright suburban sky

Ibadan: The Practical Verdict

Ibadan, a major city in the Oyo State of Nigeria, offers a moderate light-polluted sky typical of a significant urban area. The overall stargazing is limited due to the suburban brightness, and the Milky Way is not visible from within the city. The primary constraint here is the city light dome which impacts sky quality.

In this environment, the Moon, planets, double stars, and bright open clusters remain well within reach. Narrowband imaging can be productive if focusing on bright nebula cores, but broader targets like galaxies or faint nebulae won't yield satisfactory results. Even equipped with filters, emission nebula observation needs cautious planning due to the sky conditions.

For a better experience, consider heading to Iwo in Osun State to the north-east, approximately 35 km away. This site offers a moderately improved view with darker skies, but it won't be a transformational change. Local conditions such as transparency and atmospheric stability should guide observing sessions more than the marginal improvement in SQM numbers.

At a Glance

Overall

Limited suburban sky - This is a limited sky for astronomy. The brightest targets remain accessible, but faint deep-sky observing is heavily compromised.

Milky Way

Not visible - The sky background is generally too bright for a reliable Milky Way view.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging, bright nebula cores

Do not prioritise

broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, visual faint nebulae, Milky Way photography

Limited nearby upgrade

Iwo, Osun State is the strongest nearby option but remains Bortle 3; the improvement is real but modest.

Good dark window

Ibadan 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 Ibadan?

No. Ibadan is a Bortle Class 6 sky with SQM 20.26, 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 Ibadan?

Ibadan is Bortle Class 6 (SQM 20.26), a limited suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Ibadan good for stargazing?

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

Is Ibadan good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Ibadan and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Narrowband imaging of bright emission nebulae remains viable from Ibadan with appropriate Ha or OIII filters.

What can you observe from Ibadan?

Primary targets from Ibadan include Moon, planets, double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging. Targets such as broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, visual faint nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Ibadan?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Iwo, Osun State, about 33 km north east of Ibadan, reaching Bortle 3.

When is the sky darkest in Ibadan?

The sky over Ibadan is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Ibadan getting better or worse?

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

• Iwo, Osun State

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  32.9

  SQM

  21.34

  Bortle

  3

• Odigbo, Ondo State

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  92.4

  SQM

  21.35

  Bortle

  3

• Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  50.9

  SQM

  20.76

  Bortle

  5