Manaus Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.88

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

22%

Dataset

April 2026

Inner city sky

Manaus: The Practical Verdict

Manaus, as a major city located in Brazil's Amazonas region, exhibits severe urban sky conditions. The overall level of light pollution is high, with the Milky Way entirely absent and deep-sky astronomy severely limited.

What can still be appreciated here are bright celestial targets such as the Moon, planets, and prominent stars. Double stars and significant solar system events present feasible options for observation. Imaging attempts are best constrained to narrowband methods due to the dominance of light pollution gradients on broadband techniques.

For a compelling upgrade in darkness, Borba, located approximately 255 km to the south, offers a substantial improvement with its darker skies and Bortle 2 classification. Serious astronomers will find the drive worthwhile for enhanced deep-sky observation conditions.

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

Borba, Amazonas sits about 253 km south and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 36x darker.

Good dark window

Manaus 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 Manaus?

No. Manaus 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 Manaus?

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

Is Manaus good for stargazing?

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

Is Manaus good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Manaus?

Primary targets from Manaus 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 Manaus?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Manacapuru, Amazonas, about 118 km west south west of Manaus, reaching Bortle 5.

When is the sky darkest in Manaus?

The sky over Manaus is darkest around April, August.

Is light pollution in Manaus getting better or worse?

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

• Manacapuru, Amazonas

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  117.6

  SQM

  20.76

  Bortle

  5

• Borba, Amazonas

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  252.5

  SQM

  21.76

  Bortle

  2

• Barcelos, Amazonas

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  252.5

  SQM

  21.72

  Bortle

  2

• Maués, Amazonas

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  269.1

  SQM

  21.68

  Bortle

  3