Leeds Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.78

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

21%

Dataset

April 2026

Inner city sky

Leeds: The Practical Verdict

Leeds, a mid-sized city in West Yorkshire, experiences difficulties for stargazing due to high light pollution. The Milky Way is entirely invisible here, and general deep-sky observability is extremely limited by the bright urban sky.

From this location, visual astronomy is best suited for observing bright objects like the Moon, planets, and double stars while imaging is only practical in narrowband due to the overwhelming sky brightness. Deep-sky imaging or visual observation of faint nebulae and galaxies is generally inadvisable under these conditions.

While back garden observing has its limits, travelling north-east to a site like Welburn, around 60 km away, offers somewhat improved visibility. Sites further afield provide darker skies but require considerably longer drives.

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

Limited nearby upgrade

Welburn is the strongest nearby option but remains Bortle 5; the improvement is real but modest.

Moderate dark window

Leeds's limiting factor is not only light pollution. Around midsummer, Leeds loses true astronomical darkness entirely, so deep-sky observing and imaging are strongly seasonal. Plan serious sessions around the darker months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Leeds?

No. Leeds is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.78, 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 Leeds?

Leeds is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.78), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Leeds good for stargazing?

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

Is Leeds good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Leeds?

Primary targets from Leeds 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 Leeds?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Swainby with Allerthorpe, about 51 km north of Leeds, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Leeds?

The sky over Leeds is darkest around January, December. Significant summer limitation: around 80 nights per year have no true astronomical darkness.

Is light pollution in Leeds getting better or worse?

Long-term light pollution over Leeds has been broadly stable across the available measurements.

• Swainby with Allerthorpe

  Direction

  N

  Distance (km)

  50.9

  SQM

  20.43

  Bortle

  5

• Welburn

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  62.2

  SQM

  20.79

  Bortle

  5

• Wetwang

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  67.4

  SQM

  20.70

  Bortle

  5

• Melling-with-Wrayton

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  78.3

  SQM

  20.70

  Bortle

  5

• Hartington Town Quarter CP

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  75

  SQM

  20.09

  Bortle

  6

• South Moor

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  87.5

  SQM

  20.41

  Bortle

  5