Lisbon Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.37

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

18%

Dataset

April 2026

Inner city sky

Lisbon: The Practical Verdict

Lisbon, Portugal's capital, is a dense urban centre with significant light pollution. Observing conditions here are rated as Bortle Class 9, indicating severe limitations for astronomy within the city limits. The Milky Way is entirely obscured by the sky brightness.

For stargazers in Lisbon, visual observation is mostly practical for targets like the Moon, bright planets, and double stars. Similarly, narrowband imaging for the brightest nebulae is possible with careful setup, though broadband astrophotography will struggle due to the light pollution. Deep-sky targets should generally be avoided.

To escape the city's extreme light pollution, the best option nearby is heading to Beja, about 145 km south-east, where skies improve to Bortle 4 ratings. This is worth considering for serious deep-sky observation and imaging.

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

Beja sits about 143 km south east and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 32x darker.

Good dark window

Lisbon'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 Lisbon?

No. Lisbon is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.37, 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 Lisbon?

Lisbon is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.37), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is Lisbon good for stargazing?

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

Is Lisbon good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Lisbon?

Primary targets from Lisbon 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 Lisbon?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Bico do Passarão, about 20 km south of Lisbon, reaching Bortle 7.

When is the sky darkest in Lisbon?

The sky over Lisbon is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Lisbon getting better or worse?

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

• Benavente

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  25

  SQM

  20.33

  Bortle

  5

• Bico do Passarão

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  19.9

  SQM

  19.09

  Bortle

  7

• Peral

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  59.5

  SQM

  19.98

  Bortle

  6

• São Cristóvão

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  74.9

  SQM

  20.09

  Bortle

  6

• Beja

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  143.2

  SQM

  21.13

  Bortle

  4

• Sanguinheira

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  103.3

  SQM

  19.96

  Bortle

  6