Kampala Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.09

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

34%

Dataset

May 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Kampala: The Practical Verdict

Kampala, as a major city in Uganda's Central Region, offers limited opportunities for stargazing due to high light pollution. The city's skies are characterised by a poor urban/suburban quality, making it difficult to observe celestial phenomena. The most significant limiting factor here is the pervasive light pollution, which obscures most deep-sky objects.

Bright celestial objects remain visible from Kampala, including the Moon, planets, bright double stars, and open clusters. Narrowband imaging may yield results with careful processing, but deep-sky targets, especially those of low surface brightness, remain elusive. The Milky Way is completely absent from view due to excessive light pollution.

For a considerably better stargazing experience, one can travel to Aminit, Kapelebyong, located approximately 270 km north north east. This site offers a substantially darker sky with a Bortle 2 class, making it ideal for those seeking to observe the Milky Way and faint deep-sky objects.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor urban/suburban sky - This is a poor sky for astronomy. The Moon, planets, and a few bright objects remain viable, but deep-sky work is difficult.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not realistically visible from this level of light pollution.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing

Do not prioritise

visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, Milky Way photography

Best nearby upgrade

Aminit, Kapelebyong sits about 270 km north north east and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 11x darker.

Good dark window

Kampala 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 Kampala?

No. Kampala is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.09, 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 Kampala?

Kampala is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.09), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Kampala good for stargazing?

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

Is Kampala good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Kampala?

Primary targets from Kampala include Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Kampala?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Aminit, Kapelebyong, about 270 km north north east of Kampala, reaching Bortle 2.

When is the sky darkest in Kampala?

The sky over Kampala is darkest around March, September.

Is light pollution in Kampala getting better or worse?

The long-term trend for Kampala is gradually worsening, with the sky brightening by about 0.07 SQM per year.

• Bbanda, Wakiso

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  13.3

  SQM

  20.03

  Bortle

  6

• Aminit, Kapelebyong

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  270.3

  SQM

  21.71

  Bortle

  2

• Irumu, Ituri

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  277.7

  SQM

  21.69

  Bortle

  3