Tenjo Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.98

Bortle class

Class 6 (Class 6)

Darkness Quotient

48%

Dataset

May 2026

Bright suburban sky

Tenjo: The Practical Verdict

Tenjo, a hamlet in West Java, sits amid moderate light pollution with a surrounding sky not ideal for deep-sky observation. The overall quality is a limited suburban sky, which significantly reduces visibility of fainter objects. The brightest celestial objects stand out, but the Milky Way remains elusive.

From Tenjo's location, you can reliably observe the Moon, planets, double stars, and open clusters. Bright nebula cores are visible with proper filtration techniques. However, broadband galaxies and faint nebulae are not viable targets due to the sky brightness. The northern horizon presents more challenges by being the brightest, while conditions improve towards the south-west.

For darker skies and enhanced viewing, Lampung Selatan in Lampung, located approximately 125 km to the west north-west, provides a marked improvement. This area offers notably darker conditions, making it a valuable destination for serious observers seeking the darker delights of the night sky.

At a Glance

Overall

Limited suburban sky - This is a limited sky for astronomy. The brightest targets remain accessible, but faint deep-sky observing is heavily compromised.

Milky Way

Not visible - The sky background is generally too bright for a reliable Milky Way view.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging, bright nebula cores

Do not prioritise

broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, visual faint nebulae, Milky Way photography

Best nearby upgrade

Lampung Selatan, Lampung sits about 125 km west north west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 4.7x darker.

Good dark window

Tenjo 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 Tenjo?

No. Tenjo is a Bortle Class 6 sky with SQM 19.98, 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 Tenjo?

Tenjo is Bortle Class 6 (SQM 19.98), a limited suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Tenjo good for stargazing?

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

Is Tenjo good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Tenjo?

Primary targets from Tenjo include Moon, planets, double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging. Targets such as broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, visual faint nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Tenjo?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Kadubadak, Banten, about 74 km west south west of Tenjo, reaching Bortle 4.

When is the sky darkest in Tenjo?

The sky over Tenjo is darkest around May, June.

Is light pollution in Tenjo getting better or worse?

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

• Cibengkung, Banten

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  37.4

  SQM

  20.71

  Bortle

  5

• Kadubadak, Banten

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  74.3

  SQM

  21.00

  Bortle

  4

• Lampung Selatan, Lampung

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  125

  SQM

  21.66

  Bortle

  3

• Cibuntu, West Java

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  75.2

  SQM

  20.92

  Bortle

  4