Lubbock Stargazing & Astronomy Report
Light pollution and stargazing locations near Lubbock
- City
- Lubbock
- Country
- United States
- Latitude
- 33.5779
- Longitude
- -101.8552
Key Sky Quality Metrics
- SQM (mag/arcsec²)
- 18.14
- Bortle class
- Class 8 (Class 8)
- Darkness Quotient
- 24%
- Dataset
- August 2026
City sky
Lubbock: The Practical Verdict
Lubbock, a mid-size city in Texas, is characterised by high light pollution typical for its population size. Astronomical observations from here encounter considerable difficulties, as the overall sky quality is poor with a Bortle Class 8 rating, and the Milky Way is not visible at all.
From Lubbock, the best targets remain the Moon, planets, bright stars and double stars, which are mostly unaffected by the urban sky glow. Attempting visual deep-sky observing is not advisable, as broadband galaxies and faint nebulae are washed out by the bright sky. Those keen on imaging might manage narrowband techniques, but broadband astrophotography is impractical due to sky brightness.
For those looking for better conditions, a trip north-west to a site 70 km away presents an upgrade to a Bortle 4 dark sky. This destination offers clearer skies that accommodate a broader range of celestial targets.
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
- 70 km NW sits about 70 km north west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 14x darker.
- Good dark window
- Lubbock'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 Lubbock?
No. Lubbock is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.14, 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 Lubbock?
Lubbock is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.14), a poor city sky for astronomy.
Is Lubbock good for stargazing?
Not for serious deep-sky observing. Lubbock is a poor city sky where the Moon, planets, and a handful of bright targets are the realistic options from the city itself.
Is Lubbock good for astrophotography?
Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Lubbock and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Even narrowband imaging is difficult from Lubbock without careful processing.
What can you observe from Lubbock?
Primary targets from Lubbock 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 Lubbock?
The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is 70 km NW, about 70 km north west of Lubbock, reaching Bortle 4.
When is the sky darkest in Lubbock?
The sky over Lubbock is darkest around January, December.
Is light pollution in Lubbock getting better or worse?
Long-term light pollution over Lubbock has been broadly stable across the available measurements.
north - good
No noticeable light pollution to the north. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.
north-north-east - good
Dark horizon to the north-north-east. Faint stars and extended objects in this direction behave much as they do overhead.
north-east - good
Dark sky in the north-east direction with no obvious skyglow. Suitable for faint-object work at low elevation.
east-north-east - good
Dark sky in the east-north-east direction with no obvious skyglow. Suitable for faint-object work at low elevation.
east - good
The east sky is dark to the horizon. Faint targets are accessible at all elevations here.
east-south-east - good
No noticeable light pollution to the east-south-east. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.
south-east - good
The south-east horizon is dark. Faint stars are visible close to the ground.
south-south-east - good
No noticeable light pollution to the south-south-east. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.
south - fair
Light glow detectable on the south horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.
south-south-west - fair
Light glow detectable on the south-south-west horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.
south-west - fair
A trace of skyglow near the south-west horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.
west-south-west - fair
A trace of skyglow near the west-south-west horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.
west - fair
The west sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.
west-north-west - good
No noticeable light pollution to the west-north-west. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.
north-west - good
No noticeable light pollution to the north-west. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.
north-north-west - good
The north-north-west horizon is dark. Faint stars are visible close to the ground.
zenith - marginal
The zenith sky is clearly elevated above natural levels. Limiting magnitude is around 3.5.
-
70 km NW
- Direction
- NW
- Distance (km)
- 70.1
- SQM
- 21.04
- Bortle
- 4
-
79 km SSE
- Direction
- SSE
- Distance (km)
- 78.8
- SQM
- 20.70
- Bortle
- 5
-
93 km SW
- Direction
- SW
- Distance (km)
- 93.3
- SQM
- 20.82
- Bortle
- 4
-
77 km WNW
- Direction
- WNW
- Distance (km)
- 77
- SQM
- 20.08
- Bortle
- 6