Mexico City Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.59

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

20%

Dataset

July 2026

Inner city sky

Mexico City: The Practical Verdict

Mexico City, the vast and populous capital of Mexico, has its night skies severely affected by extreme light pollution. With a bothersome inner city sky, stargazing right from the heart of the city offers little beyond the brightest celestial objects like the Moon, planets, and a handful of bright stars. Here, the Milky Way is not visible at all, and opportunities for deep-sky observing are severely curtailed.

From this dense urban setting, observing is limited to simple targets like the Moon, planets, and bright double stars, with narrowband imaging being a challenging yet possible pursuit. Avoid attempting to observe deep-sky objects or faint nebulae, as the light pollution overrides faint features.

For those seeking a better stargazing environment, travelling to Axutla, Puebla is recommended. Located about 155 km to the south-south-east, this site presents a significantly darker Bortle 4 sky, making it a worthwhile trip for serious deep-sky observers.

At a Glance

Overall

Severe urban sky - This is a severely light-polluted urban sky. Only the Moon, planets, bright stars, and a few specialist targets remain practical.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not visible from this sky.

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

Axutla, Puebla sits about 154 km south south east and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 28x darker.

Good dark window

Mexico City 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 Mexico City?

No. Mexico City is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.59, 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 Mexico City?

Mexico City is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.59), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Mexico City good for stargazing?

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

Is Mexico City good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Mexico City?

Primary targets from Mexico City 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 Mexico City?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Barrancas, State of Mexico, about 96 km north west of Mexico City, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Mexico City?

The sky over Mexico City is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Mexico City getting better or worse?

The long-term trend for Mexico City is gradually worsening, with the sky brightening by about 0.05 SQM per year.

• Barrancas, State of Mexico

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  95.8

  SQM

  20.14

  Bortle

  6

• Axutla, Puebla

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  154

  SQM

  21.22

  Bortle

  4

• Metztitlán, Hidalgo

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  130.5

  SQM

  20.19

  Bortle

  6

• Las Flores, Puebla

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  157.5

  SQM

  20.81

  Bortle

  4

• Las Jarillas, Guerrero

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  194.5

  SQM

  21.14

  Bortle

  4

• Vista Hermosa, Hidalgo

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  168.1

  SQM

  20.52

  Bortle

  5