Tasikmalaya Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.26

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

36%

Dataset

May 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Tasikmalaya: The Practical Verdict

Tasikmalaya in West Java is characterised as a town with high light pollution that adversely affects astronomical observation. The overall sky quality here is poor, classifying it under suburban to urban transition conditions. The primary limitation for stargazers is not seeing the Milky Way or any fainter deep-sky objects from within the city.

From this location, the most fulfilling observations centre around brighter objects such as the Moon, planets, and double stars. While narrowband imaging can be successful for bright nebulae if processed carefully, direct visual inspection of galaxies and faint nebulae is largely impractical. To genuinely enjoy deep-sky observing, planets, and open clusters, one should consider a location away from the urban glow.

A pragmatic option for those seeking darker skies is venturing to a site about 40 km south of Tasikmalaya, where significantly better conditions represented by a Bortle class of 4 can be found. This will yield a richer array of celestial objects, enhancing the stargazing experience considerably.

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

Tasikmalaya, West Java sits about 38 km south and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 4.4x darker.

Good dark window

Tasikmalaya retains astronomical darkness throughout the year, so seasonality is less extreme than at higher latitudes. The main limitation is light pollution, not the length of the dark window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Tasikmalaya?

No. Tasikmalaya is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.26, 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 Tasikmalaya?

Tasikmalaya is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.26), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Tasikmalaya good for stargazing?

Not for serious deep-sky observing. Tasikmalaya 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 Tasikmalaya good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Tasikmalaya?

Primary targets from Tasikmalaya 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 Tasikmalaya?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Kertajaya, West Java, about 36 km south south east of Tasikmalaya, reaching Bortle 4.

When is the sky darkest in Tasikmalaya?

The sky over Tasikmalaya is darkest around June, July.

Is light pollution in Tasikmalaya getting better or worse?

The long-term trend for Tasikmalaya is gradually worsening, with the sky brightening by about 0.05 SQM per year.

• Tasikmalaya, West Java

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  37.8

  SQM

  20.86

  Bortle

  4

• Kertajaya, West Java

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  36.1

  SQM

  20.80

  Bortle

  4

• Wandasari, West Java

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  40.3

  SQM

  20.86

  Bortle

  4

• Pamarican, West Java

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  39.8

  SQM

  20.54

  Bortle

  5

• Sangiang, West Java

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  42.5

  SQM

  20.29

  Bortle

  6

• Jayabaru, Central Java

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  57.4

  SQM

  20.42

  Bortle

  5