Medellín Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.51

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

28%

Dataset

April 2026

City sky

Medellín: The Practical Verdict

Medellín, a bustling major city located in the Antioquia department of Colombia, offers highly light-polluted skies typical of urban centres. Astronomy here is limited, with the moon and planets dominating as practical targets. The sheer brightness of the city environment, with its heavily luminous south-south-west horizons, greatly restricts faint object visibility.

When observing from within Medellín, focus on the moon, planetary conjunctions, and other bright celestial events. Deep-sky targets are nearly erased by the urban glow, with only narrowband-imaged nebulae and the faintest clusters occasionally standing out under optimal conditions. The west horizon is marginally darker and may offer better potential for limited observing.

For those seeking considerably darker skies, locations like Jardín, about 130 km to the west-south-west, are recommended. This site features much lower light pollution levels, making it suitable for serious deep-sky astronomy efforts.

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

Jardín, Chocó sits about 131 km west south west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 16x 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 18.51, 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 18.51), 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 Magdalena, Antioquia, about 29 km east north east of Medellín, reaching Bortle 5.

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 Magdalena, Antioquia

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  28.7

  SQM

  20.58

  Bortle

  5

• Valparaíso, Antioquia

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  65.8

  SQM

  21.13

  Bortle

  4

• El Recreo, Caldas

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  103.1

  SQM

  21.22

  Bortle

  4

• Jardín, Chocó

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  131.4

  SQM

  21.52

  Bortle

  3

• Bajo Murrí, Antioquia

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  137.6

  SQM

  21.49

  Bortle

  3

• Villanueva, Córdoba

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  178.2

  SQM

  21.14

  Bortle

  4