Conakry Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.09

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

34%

Dataset

April 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Conakry: The Practical Verdict

Conakry, a dense urban environment and the capital of Guinea, suffers from high light pollution that significantly affects its nightscape. The overall verdict is a poor urban/suburban sky, placing significant limitations on deep-sky observations. The brightest objects remain observable, but any attempt to observe the Milky Way is futile here.

From Conakry's light-polluted sky, the best targets for amateur astronomers are the Moon, planets, bright double stars, and open clusters. Imaging is restricted to narrowband techniques for bright emission nebulae, which require careful processing. Traditional deep-sky objects, such as galaxies and dim nebulae, are beyond realistic reach.

For clearer skies, Kipulun in the Port Loko District is the nearest significant upgrade, located around a two-hour drive to the south south-east. Its darker skies enable detailed stargazing and make it a more meaningful destination for those wishing to experience substantial improvements.

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

Kipulun, Port Loko District sits about 105 km south south east and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 11x darker.

Good dark window

Conakry 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 Conakry?

No. Conakry is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.09, 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 Conakry?

Conakry is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.09), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Conakry good for stargazing?

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

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

What can you observe from Conakry?

Primary targets from Conakry 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 Conakry?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Kipulun, Port Loko District, about 105 km south south east of Conakry, reaching Bortle 3.

When is the sky darkest in Conakry?

The sky over Conakry is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Conakry getting better or worse?

The long-term trend for Conakry is gradually worsening, with the sky brightening by about 0.08 SQM per year.

• Tanéné Daron

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  12.8

  SQM

  19.74

  Bortle

  6

• Kipulun, Port Loko District

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  105

  SQM

  21.68

  Bortle

  3

• Modogbo, Moyamba District

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  203.4

  SQM

  21.59

  Bortle

  3