Pomona Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Light pollution and stargazing locations near Pomona

City
Pomona
Country
United States
Latitude
34.0553
Longitude
-117.7500

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)
17.81
Bortle class
Class 9 (Class 9)
Darkness Quotient
21%
Dataset
May 2026

Inner city sky

Pomona: The Practical Verdict

Pomona is a small city located in California, not far from Los Angeles. The astronomical quality of the sky here is severely limited by high light pollution, making it an inner city sky environment. The primary limiting factor is the heavy light pollution typical of urban areas, reducing visibility of all but the brightest celestial objects.

While the Milky Way is not visible, observers can focus on the Moon, planets, bright stars, and solar system events. Narrowband imaging is also possible with care. The bright east horizon further limits deep-sky potential, and faint nebulae and widefield Milky Way views are best avoided. The sky is much cleaner towards the north, which might offer slightly better observing conditions.

For those looking for darker skies, Los Angeles County, particularly the south-south-west region around 150 km away, offers a significant upgrade with Bortle class 3 conditions. It's worth considering this drive for serious deep-sky observation.

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
Los Angeles County, California sits about 148 km south south west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 34x darker.
Good dark window
Pomona'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 Pomona?

No. Pomona is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.81, 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 Pomona?

Pomona is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.81), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Pomona good for stargazing?

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

Is Pomona good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Pomona?

Primary targets from Pomona 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 Pomona?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Edison Road, California, about 56 km north west of Pomona, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Pomona?

The sky over Pomona is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Pomona getting better or worse?

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

north - fair

Faint glow on the north horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.

north-north-east - fair

A trace of skyglow near the north-north-east horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.

north-east - marginal

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

east-north-east - poor

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

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

south-east - poor

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

south-south-east - marginal

The south-south-east sky shows a clear glow near the ground. Above about 20 degrees the sky returns to workable.

south - marginal

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

south-south-west - marginal

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

south-west - marginal

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

west-south-west - poor

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

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

north-west - marginal

The north-west sky shows a clear glow near the ground. Above about 20 degrees the sky returns to workable.

north-north-west - fair

The north-north-west sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.

zenith - poor

The overhead sky is washed out by artificial light. Constellation patterns are reduced to their brightest members.

  • Edison Road, California
    Direction
    NW
    Distance (km)
    56.2
    SQM
    19.82
    Bortle
    6
  • Middle Ranch, California
    Direction
    SW
    Distance (km)
    96.8
    SQM
    20.79
    Bortle
    5
  • Los Angeles County, California
    Direction
    SSW
    Distance (km)
    147.5
    SQM
    21.64
    Bortle
    3
  • Tenaja Trail, California
    Direction
    SSE
    Distance (km)
    69.1
    SQM
    19.44
    Bortle
    7
  • Santa Barbara County, California
    Direction
    WNW
    Distance (km)
    181.8
    SQM
    20.57
    Bortle
    5
  • 3542, California
    Direction
    NW
    Distance (km)
    181.3
    SQM
    20.50
    Bortle
    5