St. John's Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.58

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

41%

Dataset

August 2026

Suburban/urban transition

St. John's: The Practical Verdict

St. John's, a small city in Newfoundland and Labrador, poses a challenge for stargazers due to its moderate light pollution. The Milky Way is not visible here, and the overall sky quality is poor for deep-sky observing.

From this location, the best targets are the Moon, planets, bright double stars, and open clusters. Attempts to view visual deep-sky objects or engage in Milky Way photography would be largely unsuccessful. For those interested in imaging, narrowband techniques require careful processing due to the light pollution levels.

For significantly darker skies, a recommended option is to travel to a site around 55 km north-west towards Newfoundland. This location offers a much better Bortle 3 sky, ideal for serious deep-sky observation.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor urban/suburban sky - This is a poor sky for astronomy. The Moon, planets, and a few bright objects remain viable, but deep-sky work is difficult.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not realistically visible from this level of light pollution.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing

Do not prioritise

visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, Milky Way photography

Best nearby upgrade

Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador sits about 54 km north west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 6.4x darker.

Moderate dark window

St. John's'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 St. John's?

No. St. John's is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.58, 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 St. John's?

St. John's is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.58), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is St. John's good for stargazing?

Not for serious deep-sky observing. St. John's is a poor urban/suburban sky where the Moon, planets, and a handful of bright targets are the realistic options from the city itself.

Is St. John's good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from St. John's and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Narrowband imaging of bright emission nebulae remains viable from St. John's with appropriate Ha or OIII filters.

What can you observe from St. John's?

Primary targets from St. John's include Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near St. John's?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Blackhead, Newfoundland and Labrador, about 7 km south east of St. John's, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in St. John's?

The sky over St. John's is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in St. John's getting better or worse?

Long-term light pollution over St. John's has been broadly stable across the available measurements.

• Blackhead, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  7.3

  SQM

  20.43

  Bortle

  5

• Portugal Cove - St. Philip's, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  7.5

  SQM

  19.90

  Bortle

  6

• Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  53.8

  SQM

  21.60

  Bortle

  3

• Pouch Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  18.8

  SQM

  20.13

  Bortle

  6

• Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  64.1

  SQM

  21.41

  Bortle

  3

• Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  55.7

  SQM

  20.75

  Bortle

  5