Berkeley Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.48

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

27%

Dataset

April 2026

City sky

Berkeley: The Practical Verdict

Berkeley, located in California's Bay Area, is a small city strongly influenced by nearby San Francisco's light pollution. The overall sky quality is poor, classified under High Light Pollution, and it does not support deep-sky visual observation.

The Milky Way is entirely invisible under Berkeley's sky brightness, making stargazing limited to objects such as the Moon, planets, and prominent stars. Imaging enthusiasts may find narrowband opportunities with care but should avoid broadband procedures, which will struggle with sky gradients.

To access markedly darker skies, Alamea Trail in California, about 55 km to the west north-west, offers a distinct improvement and supports richer astronomical exploration. For serious observers, this upgrade is well worth considering.

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

Alamea Trail, California sits about 54 km west north west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 11x darker.

Good dark window

Berkeley'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 Berkeley?

No. Berkeley is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.48, 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 Berkeley?

Berkeley is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.48), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Berkeley good for stargazing?

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

Is Berkeley good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Berkeley?

Primary targets from Berkeley 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 Berkeley?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Solano County, California, about 49 km east north east of Berkeley, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Berkeley?

The sky over Berkeley is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Berkeley getting better or worse?

There is not yet enough long-term data to give a confident trend for Berkeley.

• Alamea Trail, California

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  54

  SQM

  21.04

  Bortle

  4

• Richmond, California

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  10

  SQM

  19.24

  Bortle

  7

• Solano County, California

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  48.7

  SQM

  19.89

  Bortle

  6

• Windsor, California

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  87.6

  SQM

  20.69

  Bortle

  5

• Marin County, California

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  50.7

  SQM

  19.72

  Bortle

  6

• San Mateo County, California

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  59.3

  SQM

  19.65

  Bortle

  6