Richmond Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.03

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

23%

Dataset

April 2026

City sky

Richmond: The Practical Verdict

Richmond is a small city within British Columbia, situated near Vancouver. Despite its suburban setting, light pollution is significant, resulting in a poor sky for astronomy. The Milky Way is completely absent due to the urban glow, and the sky's overall quality is rated as high light pollution.

From this location, observing is mostly limited to bright and resilient targets such as the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars. Deep-sky targets like faint galaxies and nebulae are drastically diminished due to the sky brightness.

For a substantial improvement in stargazing conditions, travelling to Area B (Halfmoon Bay) in British Columbia about 70 km north-west offers a much darker sky rated as Bortle 3, which is suitable for 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

Area B (Halfmoon Bay), British Columbia sits about 68 km north west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 23x darker.

Moderate dark window

Richmond'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 Richmond?

No. Richmond is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.03, 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 Richmond?

Richmond is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.03), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Richmond good for stargazing?

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

Is Richmond good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Richmond?

Primary targets from Richmond 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 Richmond?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Sea Ranch, British Columbia, about 36 km north north west of Richmond, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Richmond?

The sky over Richmond is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Richmond getting better or worse?

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

• Sea Ranch, British Columbia

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  35.8

  SQM

  20.51

  Bortle

  5

• Fulford Harbour, British Columbia

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  45.1

  SQM

  20.77

  Bortle

  5

• Area B (Halfmoon Bay), British Columbia

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  68.1

  SQM

  21.45

  Bortle

  3

• Killebrew Lake Road, Washington

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  67.1

  SQM

  21.00

  Bortle

  4

• Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, British Columbia

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  97.6

  SQM

  21.40

  Bortle

  3

• Area A (Bamfield), British Columbia

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  123.3

  SQM

  21.57

  Bortle

  3