Sutton Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

20.61

Bortle class

Class 5 (Class 5)

Darkness Quotient

60%

Dataset

May 2026

Suburban sky

Sutton: The Practical Verdict

Sutton is a hamlet situated in Quebec that is surrounded by a rich natural environment, yet moderately affected by light pollution. Stargazing here is labelled as compromised but usable, with moderate light conditions posing some limitations. The primary limiting factor is the brightness coming from the north-west horizon, which affects darker observations.

On a clear night, the Milky Way is often only a faint suggestion in the sky above. However, observers can comfortably view bright targets such as the Moon, the planets, double stars, and bright open clusters. Nebulae requiring narrowband filters and the brighter emission nebulae are also visible. Observers should avoid attempting to photograph faint galaxies or low surface-brightness nebulae.

There are no meaningful upgrades nearby offering significant improvements in darkness. The local environment's viewing conditions are a greater influence than travelling to slightly darker sites.

At a Glance

Overall

Compromised but usable - This is a compromised but usable sky. Bright deep-sky objects and some imaging are possible, but contrast is noticeably reduced.

Milky Way

Weak or conditional - The Milky Way is usually weak from this sky and may only appear as a faint suggestion under good conditions.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, double stars, bright open clusters, globular clusters, narrowband nebulae

Do not prioritise

faint galaxies, reflection nebulae, low surface-brightness nebulae, serious Milky Way photography

No meaningful upgrade nearby

Nearby sites are not notably darker. Local conditions will matter more than chasing a slightly darker map value.

Good dark window

Sutton'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 Sutton?

Conditionally. From Sutton the Milky Way may show as a faint suggestion under transparent, moonless conditions, but it lacks dark-site contrast.

What Bortle class is Sutton?

Sutton is Bortle Class 5 (SQM 20.61), a compromised but usable for astronomy.

Is Sutton good for stargazing?

Partly. Sutton offers a compromised but usable where many bright targets remain accessible, but the faintest deep-sky work is compromised.

Is Sutton good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Sutton?

Primary targets from Sutton include Moon, planets, double stars, bright open clusters, globular clusters. Targets such as faint galaxies, reflection nebulae, low surface-brightness nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Sutton?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Sheldon, Vermont, about 28 km south west of Sutton, reaching Bortle 3.

When is the sky darkest in Sutton?

The sky over Sutton is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Sutton getting better or worse?

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

• Sheldon, Vermont

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  28.3

  SQM

  21.33

  Bortle

  3

• Dunham, Quebec

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  19.4

  SQM

  21.02

  Bortle

  4

• Gilman Corner, Quebec

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  9.6

  SQM

  20.86

  Bortle

  4