Regina Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.34

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

26%

Dataset

August 2026

City sky

Regina: The Practical Verdict

Regina, Saskatchewan, is a mid-sized city with a suburban setting. As a site for stargazing, it faces high light pollution issues, rendering the urban sky overly bright for serious astronomical pursuits. The Milky Way is entirely erased by this city's lights, and the best celestial objects visible here are the Moon, planets, and bright stars.

Larger celestial phenomena go unnoticed due to the high brightness of the eastern horizon, though the south-south-west is somewhat cleaner. Despite the harsh conditions, narrowband imaging with care can highlight the brightest nebulae, while more challenging targets like widefield Milky Way vistas or faint nebulae should be avoided.

For a meaningful improvement in sky quality, consider heading north-north-west to McKillop No. 220, roughly 60 km away. This location offers significantly darker skies, making it a worthwhile destination for enthusiasts seeking to engage in more ambitious astronomical 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

McKillop No. 220, Saskatchewan sits about 58 km north north west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 18x darker.

Moderate dark window

Regina'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 Regina?

No. Regina is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.34, 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 Regina?

Regina is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.34), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Regina good for stargazing?

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

Is Regina good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Regina?

Primary targets from Regina 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 Regina?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is McKillop No. 220, Saskatchewan, about 58 km north north west of Regina, reaching Bortle 3.

When is the sky darkest in Regina?

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

Is light pollution in Regina getting better or worse?

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

• McKillop No. 220, Saskatchewan

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  57.5

  SQM

  21.45

  Bortle

  3

• McLeod No. 185, Saskatchewan

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  101

  SQM

  21.51

  Bortle

  3

• Talmage, Saskatchewan

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  101.4

  SQM

  20.91

  Bortle

  4