Mandurah Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.40

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

38%

Dataset

August 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Mandurah: The Practical Verdict

Mandurah, located in Western Australia, is a small city that lies within close proximity to the bright lights of Perth. As such, the stargazing experience here is considerably affected by high light pollution, resulting in a poor urban/suburban sky. The primary limitation is the overwhelming glow from the north-north-east, which obscures all but the brightest celestial objects.

From this location, the Milky Way is not visible, and visual deep-sky observing is largely impractical. Good targets are confined to the Moon, planets, and bright double stars. Astronomy aficionados focusing on imaging might find some solace in narrowband work, although it demands careful processing.

For those seeking a darker and more satisfying experience, 28 km south-south-west offers a clear improvement. Within around half an hour's drive lies a site significantly darker in Bortle class, making it a worthwhile option for dedicated deep-sky observations.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor urban/suburban sky - This is a poor sky for astronomy. The Moon, planets, and a few bright objects remain viable, but deep-sky work is difficult.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not realistically visible from this level of light pollution.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing

Do not prioritise

visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, Milky Way photography

Best nearby upgrade

28 km SSW sits about 28 km south south west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 6.7x darker.

Good dark window

Mandurah's longest dark windows fall in June and July, with the shortest nights around December and January. For deep-sky imaging, winter gives the best combination of long nights and true astronomical darkness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Mandurah?

No. Mandurah is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.40, 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 Mandurah?

Mandurah is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.40), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Mandurah good for stargazing?

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

Is Mandurah good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Mandurah and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Narrowband imaging of bright emission nebulae remains viable from Mandurah with appropriate Ha or OIII filters.

What can you observe from Mandurah?

Primary targets from Mandurah include Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Mandurah?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is 8 km SW, about 8 km south west of Mandurah, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Mandurah?

The sky over Mandurah is darkest around June, July.

Is light pollution in Mandurah getting better or worse?

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

• 28 km SSW

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  27.8

  SQM

  21.46

  Bortle

  3

• 8 km SW

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  7.6

  SQM

  20.40

  Bortle

  5

• 21 km NNE

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  20.8

  SQM

  19.92

  Bortle

  6

• 55 km SW

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  54.8

  SQM

  20.24

  Bortle

  6

• 134 km S

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  134.3

  SQM

  21.51

  Bortle

  3

• 160 km SSW

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  159.6

  SQM

  21.66

  Bortle

  3