London Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

16.85

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

15%

Dataset

July 2026

Inner city sky

London: The Practical Verdict

London, the capital of England and United Kingdom's largest city, suffers from extreme light pollution. The sky quality is severely limited, rendering the Milky Way completely invisible, and only the brightest astronomical objects penetrate the urban glow here.

While the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars punctuate London's night, visual deep-sky observing is practically off the table. Attempting to observe deep-sky objects or meteor showers from here will yield poor results, so efforts should be reserved for solar system phenomena and narrowband imaging done with great care.

For a modest improvement, one could head to Duddesland Farm, located about 60 km towards the south-south-east. Even so, the difference isn't drastic, and most amateur astronomers would find local conditions a significant obstacle when compared to true dark-sky sites.

At a Glance

Overall

Severe urban sky - This is a severely light-polluted urban sky. Only the Moon, planets, bright stars, and a few specialist targets remain practical.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not visible from this sky.

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

Duddesland Farm is the strongest nearby option but remains Bortle 5; the improvement is real but modest.

Moderate dark window

London'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 London?

No. London is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 16.85, 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 London?

London is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 16.85), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is London good for stargazing?

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

Is London good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from London?

Primary targets from London 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 London?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Clothall, about 50 km south of London, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in London?

The sky over London is darkest around January, December. Significant summer limitation: around 60 nights per year have no true astronomical darkness.

Is light pollution in London getting better or worse?

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

• Marlpost

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  55.6

  SQM

  20.14

  Bortle

  6

• Duddesland Farm

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  62

  SQM

  20.39

  Bortle

  5

• Clothall

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  49.7

  SQM

  19.64

  Bortle

  6

• Grove End

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  61.6

  SQM

  19.61

  Bortle

  6

• Boarhunt

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  100.3

  SQM

  20.39

  Bortle

  5

• Adderbury

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  98.8

  SQM

  20.09

  Bortle

  6