Curitiba Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.70

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

21%

Dataset

April 2026

Inner city sky

Curitiba: The Practical Verdict

Curitiba, a major city in Paraná, Brazil, experiences high levels of light pollution, significantly diminishing sky quality. It is not suitable for detailed stargazing, with street lighting and urban glow impeding all but the brightest stars.

The Moon, planets, and double stars remain visible and are viable targets from the city. Observers aiming for the brightest clusters or attempting narrowband imaging should proceed cautiously due to the challenging visibility. However, faint deep-sky objects, the Milky Way, and most meteor showers are essentially obscured.

For better observational conditions, consider travelling to Ibaiti, Paraná, located roughly north-north-west of Curitiba, where darker skies provide a more conducive environment for stargazing.

At a Glance

Overall

Severe urban sky - This is a severely light-polluted urban sky. Only the Moon, planets, bright stars, and a few specialist targets remain practical.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not visible from this sky.

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

Ibaiti, Paraná sits about 210 km north north west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 21x darker.

Good dark window

Curitiba's longest dark windows fall in June and July, with the shortest nights around December and January. For deep-sky imaging, winter gives the best combination of long nights and true astronomical darkness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Curitiba?

No. Curitiba is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.70, 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 Curitiba?

Curitiba is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.70), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Curitiba good for stargazing?

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

Is Curitiba good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Curitiba?

Primary targets from Curitiba 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 Curitiba?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Guaratuba, Paraná, about 60 km south east of Curitiba, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Curitiba?

The sky over Curitiba is darkest around June, July.

Is light pollution in Curitiba getting better or worse?

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

• Guaratuba, Paraná

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  60

  SQM

  19.95

  Bortle

  6

• Ponta do Pasto, Paraná

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  84.8

  SQM

  20.69

  Bortle

  5

• Campo Alegre, Santa Catarina

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  69.1

  SQM

  20.05

  Bortle

  6

• Jacupiranga, São Paulo

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  126.8

  SQM

  20.81

  Bortle

  4

• Apiaí, São Paulo

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  117.4

  SQM

  20.37

  Bortle

  5

• Ibaiti, Paraná

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  209.9

  SQM

  21.00

  Bortle

  4