New York Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Light pollution and stargazing locations near New York

City
New York
Country
United States
Latitude
40.7128
Longitude
-74.0060

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)
16.73
Bortle class
Class 9 (Class 9)
Darkness Quotient
14%
Dataset
May 2026

Inner city sky

New York: The Practical Verdict

New York is a global metropolis located in its eponymous state, characterised by its dense urban landscape and towering skyline. Astronomically speaking, it is severely limited by extreme light pollution. This inner city sky is dominated by a Bortle Class 9 brightness, making it quite challenging for most stargazing activities.

From within the city, the Moon and planets remain the most prominent targets, with bright stars and solar system events offering additional options. Double stars and narrowband imaging provide limited opportunities, but visual deep-sky observing and viewing of the Milky Way are effectively not possible. The western horizon is particularly bright, while conditions slightly improve towards the south-east.

For those seeking slightly better conditions, Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania located about 120 km west-north-west, offers some improvement but is not a dramatically darker option. While it is beneficial to escape the overwhelming glow of New York, this city remains a significant challenge for astronomers looking for true darkness.

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
Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania is the strongest nearby option but remains Bortle 6; 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 16.73, 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 16.73), 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 Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania, about 119 km west north west of New York, reaching Bortle 6.

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.

north - poor

The lower north sky is heavily light-polluted. Only the brightest stars stand out near the horizon.

north-north-east - poor

The north-north-east sky is washed out near the horizon. Most constellation stars in the lower sky here are not visible.

north-east - poor

The lower north-east sky is heavily light-polluted. Only the brightest stars stand out near the horizon.

east-north-east - poor

The east-north-east horizon shows a strong orange-white glow. Star counts drop sharply below about 25 degrees here.

east - poor

The east horizon shows a strong orange-white glow. Star counts drop sharply below about 25 degrees here.

east-south-east - poor

The east-south-east sky is washed out near the horizon. Most constellation stars in the lower sky here are not visible.

south-east - marginal

Soft skyglow visible on the south-east horizon. Mid-brightness stars survive at low elevation; the faintest do not.

south-south-east - marginal

Soft skyglow visible on the south-south-east horizon. Mid-brightness stars survive at low elevation; the faintest do not.

south - marginal

The south lower sky is measurably brighter than the darker quarters. Limit faint work to above about 20 degrees here.

south-south-west - marginal

A diffuse glow sits on the south-south-west horizon. Faint objects below 20 degrees in this direction are compromised.

south-west - poor

The south-west sky is washed out near the horizon. Most constellation stars in the lower sky here are not visible.

west-south-west - poor

Strong skyglow on the west-south-west horizon. Stars below about 30 degrees in this direction are largely lost.

west - poor

Strong skyglow on the west horizon. Stars below about 30 degrees in this direction are largely lost.

west-north-west - poor

The west-north-west sky is washed out near the horizon. Most constellation stars in the lower sky here are not visible.

north-west - poor

The north-west horizon shows a strong orange-white glow. Star counts drop sharply below about 25 degrees here.

north-north-west - poor

The lower north-north-west sky is heavily light-polluted. Only the brightest stars stand out near the horizon.

zenith - poor

The zenith sky background is high. Most faint stars are absent and the Milky Way cannot be seen.

  • Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania
    Direction
    WNW
    Distance (km)
    119.4
    SQM
    20.08
    Bortle
    6
  • Penny Pot, New Jersey
    Direction
    SSW
    Distance (km)
    144.7
    SQM
    20.01
    Bortle
    6
  • Wangum Village, Connecticut
    Direction
    NE
    Distance (km)
    155.5
    SQM
    19.79
    Bortle
    6
  • Colchester, Connecticut
    Direction
    ENE
    Distance (km)
    174.6
    SQM
    20.09
    Bortle
    6
  • West Willow, Pennsylvania
    Direction
    WSW
    Distance (km)
    212.3
    SQM
    20.02
    Bortle
    6
  • Village of Afton, New York
    Direction
    NNW
    Distance (km)
    209.3
    SQM
    19.89
    Bortle
    6