Richmond Stargazing & Astronomy Report
Light pollution and stargazing locations near Richmond
- City
- Richmond
- Country
- Canada
- Latitude
- 49.1666
- Longitude
- -123.1336
Key Sky Quality Metrics
- SQM (mag/arcsec²)
- 18.10
- Bortle class
- Class 8 (Class 8)
- Darkness Quotient
- 24%
- Dataset
- May 2026
City sky
Richmond: The Practical Verdict
Richmond, a small city in British Columbia, is significantly impacted by light pollution from nearby Vancouver and its own suburban setting. The overall quality of astronomy here is poor with a predominately high light pollution environment. This severely limits the visibility of the night sky, erasing the Milky Way completely.
From this sky, you can observe the Moon, planets, and bright stars, but don't expect to see anything beyond the brightest nebulae or clusters even with narrowband imaging. Deep sky observing is particularly challenging with the city's light pollution impacting everything except the brightest targets.
For those seeking darker skies, Area B (Halfmoon Bay) in British Columbia offers a better quality sky. Located about 65 km to the north-west, it is a worthwhile drive for more dedicated observations of deep-sky objects.
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 67 km north west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 22x 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 18.10, 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 18.10), 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 Fulford Harbour, British Columbia, about 46 km south south west of Richmond, reaching Bortle 4.
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.
north - marginal
Soft skyglow visible on the north horizon. Mid-brightness stars survive at low elevation; the faintest do not.
north-north-east - marginal
Soft skyglow visible on the north-north-east horizon. Mid-brightness stars survive at low elevation; the faintest do not.
north-east - poor
Strong skyglow on the north-east horizon. Stars below about 30 degrees in this direction are largely lost.
east-north-east - marginal
The east-north-east lower sky is measurably brighter than the darker quarters. Limit faint work to above about 20 degrees here.
east - marginal
A diffuse glow sits on the east horizon. Faint objects below 20 degrees in this direction are compromised.
east-south-east - fair
The east-south-east sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.
south-east - fair
A faint diffuse glow on the south-east horizon. Stars are visible to low elevation, with minor losses near the ground.
south-south-east - fair
Faint glow on the south-south-east horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.
south - fair
The south sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.
south-south-west - good
The south-south-west sky is dark to the horizon. Faint targets are accessible at all elevations here.
south-west - good
Dark horizon to the south-west. Faint stars and extended objects in this direction behave much as they do overhead.
west-south-west - good
No noticeable light pollution to the west-south-west. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.
west - good
No noticeable light pollution to the west. The sky in this direction is dark to the horizon.
west-north-west - good
The west-north-west horizon is dark. Faint stars are visible close to the ground.
north-west - good
The north-west sky is dark to the horizon. Faint targets are accessible at all elevations here.
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 - marginal
The zenith sky is noticeably bright. Only the brighter members of each constellation are visible.
-
Fulford Harbour, British Columbia
- Direction
- SSW
- Distance (km)
- 45.6
- SQM
- 20.88
- Bortle
- 4
-
Area B (Halfmoon Bay), British Columbia
- Direction
- NW
- Distance (km)
- 67.1
- SQM
- 21.46
- Bortle
- 3
-
36, Washington
- Direction
- SSE
- Distance (km)
- 68.6
- SQM
- 20.99
- Bortle
- 4
-
Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, British Columbia
- Direction
- WSW
- Distance (km)
- 97.9
- SQM
- 21.40
- Bortle
- 3
-
Area A (Bamfield), British Columbia
- Direction
- W
- Distance (km)
- 124.7
- SQM
- 21.57
- Bortle
- 3
-
Jefferson County, Washington
- Direction
- SSW
- Distance (km)
- 161.2
- SQM
- 21.45
- Bortle
- 3