Lévis Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.07

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

24%

Dataset

April 2026

City sky

Lévis: The Practical Verdict

Lévis, located in Quebec, is a small city with a suburban setting. Unfortunately, the overall sky quality here is poor for stargazing, heavily impacted by high light pollution levels. The nearby Québec City to the west-north-west further contributes to the bright night sky, limiting astronomical observation opportunities.

From this location, bright objects such as the Moon, planets, double stars, and the brightest stars are distinguishable, but the Milky Way is rendered completely invisible against the urban skyglow. Narrowband imaging on bright targets might yield some results with care, but deep-sky observations and faint nebulae should be avoided as the sky brightness overwhelms them.

For those seeking darker skies, consider travelling to T1 R8 WELS in Maine to the south-east, roughly 220 km away. This site offers a significantly better observing experience under a much darker Bortle 3 sky, suitable for serious deep-sky observation.

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

Best nearby upgrade

T1 R8 WELS, Maine sits about 221 km south east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 25x darker.

Moderate dark window

Lévis'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 Lévis?

No. Lévis is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.07, 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 Lévis?

Lévis is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.07), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Lévis good for stargazing?

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

Is Lévis good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Lévis?

Primary targets from Lévis 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 Lévis?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Saint-Narcisse-de-Beaurivage, Quebec, about 36 km south south west of Lévis, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Lévis?

The sky over Lévis is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Lévis getting better or worse?

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

• Saint-Narcisse-de-Beaurivage, Quebec

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  35.6

  SQM

  19.96

  Bortle

  6

• Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Quebec

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  50.5

  SQM

  20.52

  Bortle

  5

• Saint-Wenceslas, Quebec

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  106.4

  SQM

  20.69

  Bortle

  5

• T1 R8 WELS, Maine

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  220.9

  SQM

  21.57

  Bortle

  3