Paisley Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.54

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

28%

Dataset

July 2026

City sky

Paisley: The Practical Verdict

Paisley, a small suburban city near Glasgow in the United Kingdom, faces significant light pollution. The overall judgement here is that of a poor city sky. The light from nearby Glasgow further brightens the eastern horizon, rendering the Milky Way invisible from within the city.

From Paisley's sky, the focus for observers should be on the Moon, planets, and bright stars, which manage to stand out in such conditions. Double stars and solar system events also offer feasible targets. However, visual deep-sky observing and most nebulae are well beyond reach, and the Milky Way itself is completely erased by the urban sky background.

For those willing to travel for better conditions, heading west to a site 98 km away provides a substantial improvement, with Bortle 2 skies offering an excellent contrast to the city. This drive is worthwhile for serious observers seeking to engage with deeper astronomical targets.

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

98 km W sits about 98 km west and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 20x darker.

Moderate dark window

Paisley's limiting factor is not only light pollution. Around midsummer, Paisley loses true astronomical darkness entirely, so deep-sky observing and imaging are strongly seasonal. Plan serious sessions around the darker months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Paisley?

No. Paisley is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.54, 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 Paisley?

Paisley is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.54), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Paisley good for stargazing?

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

Is Paisley good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Paisley?

Primary targets from Paisley 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 Paisley?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is 23 km WSW, about 23 km west south west of Paisley, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Paisley?

The sky over Paisley is darkest around January, December. Major high-latitude limitation: around 96 nights per year have no true astronomical darkness.

Is light pollution in Paisley getting better or worse?

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

• 23 km WSW

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  23.2

  SQM

  20.49

  Bortle

  5

• 63 km W

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  63.1

  SQM

  21.72

  Bortle

  2

• 69 km WSW

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  69.3

  SQM

  21.70

  Bortle

  3

• 74 km WNW

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  74.3

  SQM

  21.38

  Bortle

  3

• 78 km S

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  77.9

  SQM

  21.25

  Bortle

  4

• 98 km W

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  98.2

  SQM

  21.81

  Bortle

  2