Khartoum Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.87

Bortle class

Class 6 (Class 6)

Darkness Quotient

46%

Dataset

May 2026

Bright suburban sky

Khartoum: The Practical Verdict

Khartoum, the bustling capital of Sudan, offers a suburban stargazing setting with moderate light pollution affecting the visibility of the night sky. The city's bright lighting means the Milky Way is not visible, significantly limiting the depth of observable targets.

For stargazers within Khartoum, focusing on brighter objects such as the Moon, planets, double stars, and bright open clusters is most practical. The sky conditions are not conducive for enjoying broadband galaxies or faint nebulae due to the overwhelming urban light. Observers attempting astrophotography should consider using narrowband filters to capture brighter nebula cores. Meanwhile, meteor shower counts should be avoided as the sky background hampers such observations.

For those seeking a truly darker sky, ad-Damer in River Nile State provides a notable upgrade in darkness. Situated roughly 275 km to the east south-east, it offers Bortle class 3 conditions, ideal for deeper sky explorations.

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

ad-Damer, River Nile State sits about 275 km east south east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 5.2x darker.

Good dark window

Khartoum 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 Khartoum?

No. Khartoum is a Bortle Class 6 sky with SQM 19.87, 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 Khartoum?

Khartoum is Bortle Class 6 (SQM 19.87), a limited suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Khartoum good for stargazing?

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

Is Khartoum good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Khartoum?

Primary targets from Khartoum 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 Khartoum?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Seteet District, Kassala State, about 256 km east of Khartoum, reaching Bortle 3.

When is the sky darkest in Khartoum?

The sky over Khartoum is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Khartoum getting better or worse?

The long-term trend for Khartoum is gradually improving, with the sky darkening by about 0.08 SQM per year.

• Khartoum, Al Khartum State

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  5

  SQM

  20.25

  Bortle

  6

• Seteet District, Kassala State

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  255.5

  SQM

  21.56

  Bortle

  3

• ad-Damer, River Nile State

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  274.9

  SQM

  21.67

  Bortle

  3