Lakewood Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.81

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

31%

Dataset

August 2026

City sky

Lakewood: The Practical Verdict

Lakewood, a small city in Colorado, is characterized by high light pollution, greatly affected by its proximity to the larger Denver, just 10 km east-north-east. The overall quality for stargazing here is poor, with a bright city sky dominating the view. The Milky Way is entirely obscured by the urban light, and observational conditions are limited as a result.

From Lakewood, visual astronomy is best focused on brighter targets such as the Moon, the planets, and double stars. Narrowband imaging can yield results but requires careful handling due to the urban sky background. Most deep-sky and widefield Milky Way observations should be avoided due to the dense light pollution affecting clarity.

For those seeking a modest improvement in darkness without travelling far, Gates, Colorado is about 95 km north north east and offers a Bortle 5 sky. While this represents an improvement, it is not a dramatic enhancement and local conditions will still significantly impact observing quality.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor city sky - This is a poor city sky. The Milky Way is not visible and most deep-sky observing is unrealistic from the location itself.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is erased by the bright urban sky background.

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

Limited nearby upgrade

Gates, Colorado is the strongest nearby option but remains Bortle 5; the improvement is real but modest.

Good dark window

Lakewood'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 Lakewood?

No. Lakewood is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.81, 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 Lakewood?

Lakewood is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.81), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Lakewood good for stargazing?

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

Is Lakewood good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Lakewood?

Primary targets from Lakewood 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 Lakewood?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Gates, Colorado, about 95 km north north east of Lakewood, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Lakewood?

The sky over Lakewood is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Lakewood getting better or worse?

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

• Aurora, Colorado

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  36

  SQM

  19.56

  Bortle

  7

• Gates, Colorado

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  94.8

  SQM

  20.31

  Bortle

  5

• Bowles Canal Road, Colorado

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  50.6

  SQM

  19.60

  Bortle

  7