Kumasi Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Light pollution and stargazing locations near Kumasi

City
Kumasi
Country
Ghana
Latitude
6.6885
Longitude
-1.6244

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)
17.88
Bortle class
Class 9 (Class 9)
Darkness Quotient
22%
Dataset
April 2026

Inner city sky

Kumasi: The Practical Verdict

Kumasi, as a major city in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, presents severe challenges for astronomical observation due to high light pollution. The Milky Way is completely obscured, and most deep-sky objects become impractical for visual or imaging pursuits.

Within the heavy urban glow, observing is largely restricted to bright targets like the Moon, planets, and double stars, which can still be enjoyed with relatively modest optical equipment. Narrowband imaging might yield some results on the brightest nebulae, but broadband targets and faint galaxies are not feasible.

For enthusiasts seeking darker skies, the Aowin Municipal District in the Western North Region, about 175 km west-south-west, offers significantly better conditions, with a Bortle 4 classification and improved visibility for faint deep-sky objects.

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
Aowin Municipal District, Western North Region sits about 175 km west south west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 21x darker.
Good dark window
Kumasi 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 Kumasi?

No. Kumasi is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.88, 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 Kumasi?

Kumasi is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.88), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Kumasi good for stargazing?

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

Is Kumasi good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Kumasi?

Primary targets from Kumasi 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 Kumasi?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Nkyerepoaso, Ashanti Region, about 31 km east north east of Kumasi, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Kumasi?

The sky over Kumasi is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Kumasi getting better or worse?

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

north - marginal

The north lower sky is measurably brighter than the darker quarters. Limit faint work to above about 20 degrees here.

north-north-east - fair

A faint diffuse glow on the north-north-east horizon. Stars are visible to low elevation, with minor losses near the ground.

north-east - marginal

The north-east sky shows a clear glow near the ground. Above about 20 degrees the sky returns to workable.

east-north-east - marginal

Soft skyglow visible on the east-north-east horizon. Mid-brightness stars survive at low elevation; the faintest do not.

east - marginal

The east sky shows a clear glow near the ground. Above about 20 degrees the sky returns to workable.

east-south-east - marginal

The east-south-east lower sky is measurably brighter than the darker quarters. Limit faint work to above about 20 degrees here.

south-east - fair

A trace of skyglow near the south-east horizon. Stars are clear throughout this direction except very close to the ground.

south-south-east - fair

The south-south-east sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.

south - fair

Faint glow on the south horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.

south-south-west - marginal

The south-south-west sky shows a clear glow near the ground. Above about 20 degrees the sky returns to workable.

south-west - fair

The south-west sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.

west-south-west - fair

Faint glow on the west-south-west horizon. Most stars are visible to low elevation; only the faintest near the ground are affected.

west - fair

Light glow detectable on the west horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.

west-north-west - fair

The west-north-west sky is broadly dark with a small amount of glow at the horizon. Most objects in this direction are accessible.

north-west - fair

Light glow detectable on the north-west horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.

north-north-west - fair

Light glow detectable on the north-north-west horizon. The effect fades quickly with elevation and does not affect overhead work.

zenith - poor

The zenith sky background is high. Most faint stars are absent and the Milky Way cannot be seen.

  • Kwaakokrom, Ashanti Region
    Direction
    SSW
    Distance (km)
    32
    SQM
    19.68
    Bortle
    6
  • Nkyerepoaso, Ashanti Region
    Direction
    ENE
    Distance (km)
    31.1
    SQM
    19.62
    Bortle
    6
  • Apoli South, Eastern Region
    Direction
    SSE
    Distance (km)
    99.4
    SQM
    20.35
    Bortle
    5
  • Abaam, Eastern Region
    Direction
    ESE
    Distance (km)
    102.3
    SQM
    20.02
    Bortle
    6
  • Amenfi Central District, Western Region
    Direction
    SSW
    Distance (km)
    151.2
    SQM
    21.09
    Bortle
    4
  • Aowin Municipal District, Western North Region
    Direction
    WSW
    Distance (km)
    175.1
    SQM
    21.17
    Bortle
    4