Medellín Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.38

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

26%

Dataset

July 2026

City sky

Medellín: The Practical Verdict

Medellín, situated in the Antioquia region of Colombia, is a major city with a rich array of cultural offerings. However, stargazing is severely challenged here due to high light pollution. The city's sky falls under the category of a poor city sky, making deep sky observations almost impossible. The most significant limiting factor is the pervasive brightness obscuring finer celestial details.

From Medellín, the Milky Way is entirely erased by the urban glow. Observers are best placed to focus on brighter celestial objects such as the Moon, planets, and bright stars. Narrowband imaging targets feasible with care are the brightest nebulae. In contrast, widefield Milky Way views and most meteor showers should be avoided due to the overwhelming brightness.

For those seeking darker skies, travelling to Yondó, located east-north-east, offers a more conducive observing environment under Bortle 4 conditions. This site provides a notable improvement over Medellín's challenging skies.

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

Yondó, Antioquia sits about 155 km east north east and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 12x 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 18.38, 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 18.38), 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 Vereda Caruquia, Antioquia, about 49 km north north east of Medellín, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Medellín?

The sky over Medellín is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Medellín getting better or worse?

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

• Vereda Caruquia, Antioquia

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  49.1

  SQM

  20.72

  Bortle

  5

• Quibdó, Chocó

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  121.4

  SQM

  21.01

  Bortle

  4

• Centro Educativo Rur Indig Gengado, Antioquia

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  124.2

  SQM

  21.07

  Bortle

  4

• Yondó, Antioquia

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  155.1

  SQM

  21.10

  Bortle

  4

• Pueblo Flecha, Córdoba

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  181.7

  SQM

  20.87

  Bortle

  4