Portland Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.14

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

24%

Dataset

July 2026

City sky

Portland: The Practical Verdict

Portland, a major city in the United States, offers limited stargazing opportunities due to its high light pollution level. The sky quality here results in a poor city sky where the Milky Way is not visible. The dominant urban light limits what can realistically be observed.

Under these conditions, stargazers should concentrate on the Moon, the planets, bright stars, and double stars. Solar system events remain visible, though deep-sky objects should be avoided. Imaging in narrowband may succeed, yet broadband efforts will suffer significantly from sky brightness.

If you're keen on experiencing better skies, heading about 80 km north-west will take you to a Bortle 4 site with significantly darker skies. This location marks a meaningful upgrade, making it worth the drive for dedicated deep-sky observations.

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

79 km NW sits about 79 km north west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 15x darker.

Moderate dark window

Portland'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 Portland?

No. Portland is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.14, 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 Portland?

Portland is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.14), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Portland good for stargazing?

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

Is Portland good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Portland?

Primary targets from Portland 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 Portland?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is 63 km W, about 63 km west of Portland, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Portland?

The sky over Portland is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Portland getting better or worse?

There is not yet enough long-term data to give a confident trend for Portland.

• 63 km W

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  63

  SQM

  20.59

  Bortle

  5

• 79 km NW

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  79

  SQM

  21.05

  Bortle

  4

• 70 km S

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  69.9

  SQM

  20.34

  Bortle

  5

• 131 km SW

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  130.6

  SQM

  21.09

  Bortle

  4

• 132 km ENE

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  132.3

  SQM

  20.87

  Bortle

  4

• 192 km NNW

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  191.9

  SQM

  21.04

  Bortle

  4