Kaduna Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.69

Bortle class

Class 6 (Class 6)

Darkness Quotient

43%

Dataset

May 2026

Bright suburban sky

Kaduna: The Practical Verdict

Kaduna, a major city in Nigeria's bustling Kaduna State, is characterised by moderate light pollution. This presents a limited suburban sky for stargazers, marking it a Bortle class 6 environment. Observational astronomy here faces constraints, particularly with the city's light dome significantly diminishing visibility.

While the Milky Way isn't visible due to the sky's brightness, enthusiasts can still turn their attention to the Moon, planets, double stars, and bright clusters for fruitful sessions. Narrowband imaging of bright nebula cores also remains feasible here. However, sights such as broadband galaxies and faint nebulas are best left for darker skies.

For more dedicated deep-sky observations, consider visiting Mashegu in Niger State, around 255 km to the west south-west. This area offers a dramatic improvement in night sky visibility with a Bortle class 2 rating, making the trip worthwhile for serious astronomy pursuits.

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

Best nearby upgrade

Mashegu, Niger State sits about 254 km west south west and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 6.9x darker.

Good dark window

Kaduna 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 Kaduna?

No. Kaduna is a Bortle Class 6 sky with SQM 19.69, 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 Kaduna?

Kaduna is Bortle Class 6 (SQM 19.69), a limited suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Kaduna good for stargazing?

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

Is Kaduna good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Kaduna?

Primary targets from Kaduna 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 Kaduna?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is 253 km ENE, about 253 km east north east of Kaduna, reaching Bortle 2.

When is the sky darkest in Kaduna?

The sky over Kaduna is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Kaduna getting better or worse?

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

• Mashegu, Niger State

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  253.5

  SQM

  21.79

  Bortle

  2

• 253 km ENE

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  252.5

  SQM

  21.77

  Bortle

  2

• 253 km SW

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  252.5

  SQM

  21.68

  Bortle

  3