St. John's Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.46

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

39%

Dataset

July 2026

Suburban/urban transition

St. John's: The Practical Verdict

St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador is a small city with a suburban environment, and it falls under the high light pollution category. The overall quality of the night sky here is poor for astronomy, limiting many deep-sky observations. The proximity to urban lighting means the Milky Way is not visible, and diffuse starlight is washed out under these skies.

Best targets in the area include the Moon, planets, and bright double stars, which are least affected by the ambient light pollution. Efforts to photograph deep-sky objects should focus on narrowband imaging, though even then, bright nebulae are challenging to capture without significant processing.

For improved stargazing, travelling north-west to Newfoundland, around 55 km away, offers significantly darker skies. This location, with its Bortle 3 rating, is worthwhile for serious deep-sky enthusiasts looking to escape the urban light dome of St. John's.

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 7.0x 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 19.46, 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 19.46), 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, about 16 km south 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.

• St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  15.6

  SQM

  20.52

  Bortle

  5

• Flatrock, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  12.9

  SQM

  20.16

  Bortle

  6

• Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  53.8

  SQM

  21.58

  Bortle

  3

• Grates Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  62.5

  SQM

  21.67

  Bortle

  3

• Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  56.3

  SQM

  21.33

  Bortle

  3

• Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  60.7

  SQM

  21.41

  Bortle

  3