Addis Ababa Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.07

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

24%

Dataset

April 2026

City sky

Addis Ababa: The Practical Verdict

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is a large urban area with dense settings. Astronomical conditions here are strongly shaped by high light pollution caused by the city’s significant population and development. As such, it offers poor visibility for stargazing, with no view of the Milky Way and limited observational quality for faint deep-sky objects.

The sky here lends itself primarily to bright, resolvable objects within our solar system. Focusing on the Moon, planets, and prominent stars provides the best results. Narrowband imaging can be attempted with care, but traditional deep-sky astronomy involving faint nebulae and galaxies is not practical under these sky conditions.

To significantly improve your stargazing experience, a trip to Zone 3 in the Afar Region, about 265 km north-east, is highly recommended. There you will find darker skies suitable for serious deep-sky observing, including widefield nebulae and fainter star clusters.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor city sky - This is a poor city sky. The Milky Way is not visible and most deep-sky observing is unrealistic from the location itself.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is erased by the bright urban sky background.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright stars, double stars, solar system events, narrowband imaging only with care

Do not prioritise

visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, widefield Milky Way

Best nearby upgrade

Zone 3, Afar Region sits about 266 km north east and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 29x darker.

Good dark window

Addis Ababa 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 Addis Ababa?

No. Addis Ababa is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.07, 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 Addis Ababa?

Addis Ababa is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.07), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Addis Ababa good for stargazing?

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

Is Addis Ababa good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Addis Ababa and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Even narrowband imaging is difficult from Addis Ababa without careful processing.

What can you observe from Addis Ababa?

Primary targets from Addis Ababa include Moon, planets, bright stars, double stars, solar system events. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Addis Ababa?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Asere, Oromia Region, about 33 km west south west of Addis Ababa, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Addis Ababa?

The sky over Addis Ababa is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Addis Ababa getting better or worse?

The long-term trend for Addis Ababa is gradually worsening, with the sky brightening by about 0.10 SQM per year.

• Asere, Oromia Region

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  33.1

  SQM

  20.02

  Bortle

  6

• Silt'e, Central Ethiopia Regional State

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  158.4

  SQM

  21.55

  Bortle

  3

• Zone 3, Afar Region

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  265.8

  SQM

  21.73

  Bortle

  2