Plymouth Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.81

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

31%

Dataset

May 2026

City sky

Plymouth: The Practical Verdict

Plymouth is a mid-size city in England with a suburban setting. The stargazing conditions here are heavily compromised by significant light pollution, resulting in a poor city sky. The primary limitation is the bright urban sky which completely erases the Milky Way, leaving only brighter celestial objects visible.

Targets that can be successfully observed in Plymouth are primarily the Moon, planets, bright stars, and double stars, along with solar system events. Narrowband imaging might work, but broad deep-sky observations are thwarted by light pollution. The eastern horizon is particularly bright, while the southern is somewhat cleaner.

For those seeking substantially darker skies, travelling to South Petherwin to the north-north-west is a worthwhile option. This site offers a significantly improved Bortle 3 sky, about 30 km away, well within reach for an evening of more serious deep-sky observing.

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

South Petherwin sits about 31 km north north west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 11x darker.

Moderate dark window

Plymouth'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 Plymouth?

No. Plymouth is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.81, 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 Plymouth?

Plymouth is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.81), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Plymouth good for stargazing?

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

Is Plymouth good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Plymouth?

Primary targets from Plymouth 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 Plymouth?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Narkurs, about 17 km west south west of Plymouth, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Plymouth?

The sky over Plymouth is darkest around January, December. Significant summer limitation: around 47 nights per year have no true astronomical darkness.

Is light pollution in Plymouth getting better or worse?

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

• Narkurs

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  16.8

  SQM

  20.77

  Bortle

  5

• South Petherwin

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  30.9

  SQM

  21.37

  Bortle

  3

• North Upton

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  22.8

  SQM

  20.94

  Bortle

  4

• Wenmouth Cross

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  32.1

  SQM

  21.29

  Bortle

  4

• East Kimber

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  45.6

  SQM

  21.35

  Bortle

  3

• Frogmire

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  56.9

  SQM

  21.17

  Bortle

  4