Riverside Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.85

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

22%

Dataset

July 2026

Inner city sky

Riverside: The Practical Verdict

Riverside, a mid-size city in the United States, faces high light pollution, resulting in a severe urban sky with little clarity. The lack of visibility in the sky reflects its Bortle 9 status, rendering the Milky Way entirely invisible. This level of light pollution means serious stargazing requires leaving the city's bright environment.

The sky over Riverside is best for observing the Moon, planets, bright stars, and solar system events, but struggles with deep-sky observing. For imaging, narrowband methods might salvage some detail, but generally, this location is not conducive to capturing faint nebulae or galaxies.

For clearer, darker skies, travelling to a site around 155 km south-west is recommended, where conditions improve significantly, reaching Bortle Class 3 quality. Such effort is necessary for those hoping to engage in deep-sky observing or immersive night sky experiences.

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

155 km SW sits about 155 km south west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 33x darker.

Good dark window

Riverside'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 Riverside?

No. Riverside is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.85, 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 Riverside?

Riverside is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.85), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Riverside good for stargazing?

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

Is Riverside good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Riverside?

Primary targets from Riverside 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 Riverside?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is 49 km S, about 49 km south of Riverside, reaching Bortle 7.

When is the sky darkest in Riverside?

The sky over Riverside is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Riverside getting better or worse?

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

• 49 km S

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  48.7

  SQM

  19.58

  Bortle

  7

• 62 km E

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  62.3

  SQM

  19.75

  Bortle

  6

• 155 km SW

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  155

  SQM

  21.66

  Bortle

  3

• 120 km NNW

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  119.7

  SQM

  20.40

  Bortle

  5