Lévis Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.42

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

27%

Dataset

May 2026

City sky

Lévis: The Practical Verdict

Lévis, located just east of Quebec City in the Quebec region, is a small city with relatively high light pollution conditions. The astronomical quality here is frankly poor, as the urban sky background erases any trace of the Milky Way. Observers will find the glare from the nearby Quebec City significantly affects the night-time experience.

From Lévis, the best celestial targets are limited to the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars. Double stars and solar system events can also be rewarding with careful observation, but visual deep-sky observing and wide-field Milky Way hunting are impractical. The city's high pollution makes narrowband imaging a better choice than broadband for capturing faint objects.

For those willing to travel, La Malbaie, Quebec, to the north-east offers a meaningfully darker site, sitting at Bortle 3. It’s worth the drive for any serious deep-sky pursuits.

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

La Malbaie, Quebec sits about 124 km north east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 19x 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 18.42, 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 18.42), 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 Sainte-Hénédine, Quebec, about 31 km south south east 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.

• Sainte-Hénédine, Quebec

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  31.1

  SQM

  20.25

  Bortle

  6

• Sault-au-Cochon, Quebec

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  57.3

  SQM

  20.97

  Bortle

  4

• La Malbaie, Quebec

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  123.5

  SQM

  21.64

  Bortle

  3

• Aston-Jonction, Quebec

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  107.4

  SQM

  20.82

  Bortle

  4

• TA R11 WELS, Maine

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  204.2

  SQM

  21.60

  Bortle

  3