Walakiri beach Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

21.72

Bortle class

Class 2 (Class 2)

Darkness Quotient

90%

Dataset

August 2026

Typical truly dark site

Walakiri beach: The Practical Verdict

Walakiri Beach is a remote dark site located in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, boasting very dark skies. With a Bortle Class 2 rating, stargazing quality is exceptionally strong here, offering a backdrop for observing intricate cosmic details. No specific nearby destination significantly improves upon these already ideal conditions.

Under these skies, the Milky Way is clearly visible, showcasing strong structure and contrast, particularly on moonless nights. All manner of deep sky objects, including galaxies, nebulae, and meteor showers are well within reach, and broadband imaging finds strong support. While very low-altitude targets might still challenge transparency, there is no significant light pollution to contend with.

As this is already among the darker locations within the region, there is little need to seek further afield for a darker sky. Walakiri Beach is a key site for astronomy in the area.

At a Glance

Overall

Very strong dark sky - This is a very strong dark-sky location where the Milky Way, faint stars, nebulae, and galaxies are realistically accessible.

Milky Way

Clearly visible - The Milky Way should be prominent on moonless nights, with visible structure and strong contrast.

Best targets from here

Milky Way, galaxies, nebulae, globular clusters, open clusters, meteor showers

Do not prioritise

none due to light pollution alone

Already a strong sky

Walakiri beach is already a strong astronomy location. There is no obvious reason to travel for a darker sky.

Long dark window

Walakiri beach 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 Walakiri beach?

Yes. Walakiri beach reaches Bortle 2, dark enough that the Milky Way is clearly visible on clear, moonless nights.

What Bortle class is Walakiri beach?

Walakiri beach is Bortle Class 2 (SQM 21.72), a very strong dark sky for astronomy.

Is Walakiri beach good for stargazing?

Yes. Walakiri beach is a very strong dark sky and supports serious stargazing including deep-sky observing.

Is Walakiri beach good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is realistic from Walakiri beach. Narrowband imaging of bright emission nebulae remains viable from Walakiri beach with appropriate Ha or OIII filters.

What can you observe from Walakiri beach?

Primary targets from Walakiri beach include Milky Way, galaxies, nebulae, globular clusters, open clusters. Targets such as none due to light pollution alone are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Walakiri beach?

No meaningfully darker mapped site was found within the search radius around Walakiri beach.

When is the sky darkest in Walakiri beach?

The sky over Walakiri beach is darkest around May, June.

Is light pollution in Walakiri beach getting better or worse?

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

• Mau Ramba, East Nusa Tenggara

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  37.2

  SQM

  21.82

  Bortle

  2

• Desa Waikanabu, East Nusa Tenggara

  Direction

  SW

  Distance (km)

  45

  SQM

  21.82

  Bortle

  2

• Mandahu, East Nusa Tenggara

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  53.4

  SQM

  21.81

  Bortle

  2