Jacksonville Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Light pollution and stargazing locations near Jacksonville

City
Jacksonville
Country
United States
Latitude
30.3322
Longitude
-81.6557

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)
17.45
Bortle class
Class 9 (Class 9)
Darkness Quotient
19%
Dataset
July 2026

Inner city sky

Jacksonville: The Practical Verdict

Jacksonville, a major city in Florida, presents challenging conditions for stargazing due to its severe urban skyline. The light pollution here is extreme, which restricts the viewing of most celestial objects, with the Milky Way not visible at all from this location. The pervasive light dome particularly affects the sky towards the south-east.

Observers in Jacksonville will find the Moon, planets, and bright stars to be the most viable targets. Double stars and solar system phenomena can be appreciated, while narrowband imaging is possible with great care. However, visual deep-sky observing and broadband galaxy work are poor candidates under these conditions.

For those seeking darker skies, heading to Northeast 249 Avenue, about 150 km west-south-west, offers a meaningful upgrade in sky quality with a Bortle 4 rating. This site provides significantly better conditions for serious deep-sky work.

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
Northeast 249 Avenue, Florida sits about 150 km west south west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 28x darker.
Good dark window
Jacksonville'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 Jacksonville?

No. Jacksonville is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.45, 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 Jacksonville?

Jacksonville is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.45), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Jacksonville good for stargazing?

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

Is Jacksonville good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Jacksonville?

Primary targets from Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Jacksonville, Florida, about 16 km north north east of Jacksonville, reaching Bortle 7.

When is the sky darkest in Jacksonville?

The sky over Jacksonville is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Jacksonville getting better or worse?

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

north - marginal

A soft but obvious glow marks the north horizon. The lowest 15-20 degrees of sky in this direction are degraded.

north-north-east - marginal

The lower north-north-east sky is moderately light-polluted. Useful for bright targets above about 20 degrees only.

north-east - fair

The north-east horizon is mostly dark with a hint of light pollution. Faint stars are accessible above about 10 degrees.

east-north-east - marginal

Moderate brightening on the east-north-east horizon. Star counts at low elevation here are reduced.

east - marginal

The lower east sky is moderately light-polluted. Useful for bright targets above about 20 degrees only.

east-south-east - marginal

Persistent skyglow on the east-south-east horizon. Faint stars near the ground in this direction are lost.

south-east - marginal

The lower south-east sky is moderately light-polluted. Useful for bright targets above about 20 degrees only.

south-south-east - marginal

The south-south-east horizon is brighter than natural. Faint stars are suppressed up to roughly 15-20 degrees elevation.

south - marginal

The south horizon is brighter than natural. Faint stars are suppressed up to roughly 15-20 degrees elevation.

south-south-west - marginal

The lower south-south-west sky is moderately light-polluted. Useful for bright targets above about 20 degrees only.

south-west - marginal

Moderate brightening on the south-west horizon. Star counts at low elevation here are reduced.

west-south-west - marginal

The lower west-south-west sky is moderately light-polluted. Useful for bright targets above about 20 degrees only.

west - fair

Subtle skyglow on the west horizon. Faint stars below about 10 degrees here are slightly suppressed.

west-north-west - fair

The west-north-west horizon is mostly dark with a hint of light pollution. Faint stars are accessible above about 10 degrees.

north-west - fair

A small artificial brightening near the north-west horizon. Star counts in this direction remain high above the lowest elevations.

north-north-west - marginal

Moderate brightening on the north-north-west horizon. Star counts at low elevation here are reduced.

zenith - poor

Heavy skyglow overhead. A few dozen stars and the brightest planets are accessible to the naked eye.

  • Haddock Lane, Florida
    Direction
    NNW
    Distance (km)
    42.5
    SQM
    20.43
    Bortle
    5
  • Jacksonville, Florida
    Direction
    NNE
    Distance (km)
    16.3
    SQM
    19.13
    Bortle
    7
  • Camden County, Georgia
    Direction
    NE
    Distance (km)
    59.5
    SQM
    19.99
    Bortle
    6
  • Flagler County, Florida
    Direction
    S
    Distance (km)
    102.4
    SQM
    19.85
    Bortle
    6
  • East Williston, Florida
    Direction
    SSW
    Distance (km)
    127.8
    SQM
    20.48
    Bortle
    5
  • Northeast 249 Avenue, Florida
    Direction
    WSW
    Distance (km)
    149.6
    SQM
    21.08
    Bortle
    4