New York Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

16.45

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

13%

Dataset

August 2026

Inner city sky

New York: The Practical Verdict

New York is a global metropolis with a dense urban setting located in the state of New York. The sky over New York suffers from severe urban light pollution, making it extremely challenging for stargazing. The Milky Way is invisible, and the overall sky quality is poor.

Even from the heart of the city, you can expect to observe the Moon, planets, and some bright stars and double stars. Solar system events are also possible targets, but more ambitious visual deep-sky observing is futile here. This location is best suited for narrowband imaging if you exercise care, although many targets will be significantly washed out by the city's glow.

To improve your stargazing experience, Town of Deposit offers a modest upgrade north-north-west, about 195 km from New York. While not dramatically darker, it provides a notably better sky quality for those willing to travel this distance.

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

Limited nearby upgrade

Town of Deposit, New York is the strongest nearby option but remains Bortle 5; the improvement is real but modest.

Good dark window

New York's longest dark windows fall in December and January, with the shortest nights around June and July. Plan deep-sky sessions around the autumn and winter months for the best combination of long nights and true astronomical darkness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from New York?

No. New York is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 16.45, 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 New York?

New York is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 16.45), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is New York good for stargazing?

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

Is New York good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from New York?

Primary targets from New York 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 New York?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Lower Melville, New York, about 50 km east of New York, reaching Bortle 7.

When is the sky darkest in New York?

The sky over New York is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in New York getting better or worse?

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

• Lower Melville, New York

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  50.1

  SQM

  19.04

  Bortle

  7

• Butler Park, New Jersey

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  78.7

  SQM

  19.76

  Bortle

  6

• Ohioville, New York

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  116.8

  SQM

  20.04

  Bortle

  6

• Waterford Township, New Jersey

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  125.2

  SQM

  19.75

  Bortle

  6

• Town of Deposit, New York

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  196.5

  SQM

  20.67

  Bortle

  5

• Windsor, Massachusetts

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  218.4

  SQM

  20.10

  Bortle

  6