Medellín Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.45

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

27%

Dataset

May 2026

City sky

Medellín: The Practical Verdict

Medellín is a major city in Colombia's Antioquia region, densely urbanised with a population nearing four million. The city experiences high light pollution, making it a poor location for stargazing. The bright skies mean the Milky Way is completely invisible, and only the most brilliant celestial bodies manage to pierce through the luminescent veil.

Within Medellín's sky, the best targets remain the Moon, bright planets, and stellar pairs. These objects, along with solar system events, are usually striking enough to shine past the glare. Narrowband imaging might yield some success with the brightest nebulae, but broad deep-sky observation is largely compromised. Reflection nebulae and faint deep-sky objects generally elude even the most diligent observers.

For those keen to delve deeper into the cosmos, a recommended site is roughly 140 km west of Medellín. Here, under Bortle 3 skies, the viewing conditions are significantly better, making it worthwhile for more serious 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

141 km W sits about 141 km west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 17x darker.

Good dark window

Medellín retains astronomical darkness throughout the year, so seasonality is less extreme than at higher latitudes. The main limitation is light pollution, not the length of the dark window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Medellín?

No. Medellín is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.45, 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 Medellín?

Medellín is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.45), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Medellín good for stargazing?

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

Is Medellín good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Medellín?

Primary targets from Medellín 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 Medellín?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is La Bocana, Antioquia, about 57 km south of Medellín, reaching Bortle 4.

When is the sky darkest in Medellín?

The sky over Medellín is darkest around January, November.

Is light pollution in Medellín getting better or worse?

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

• La Bocana, Antioquia

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  56.6

  SQM

  20.95

  Bortle

  4

• Puerto Nus, Antioquia

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  88.2

  SQM

  20.72

  Bortle

  5

• 141 km W

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  141.3

  SQM

  21.52

  Bortle

  3

• 133 km WSW

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  133.1

  SQM

  20.99

  Bortle

  4