Paisley Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.57

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

28%

Dataset

April 2026

City sky

Paisley: The Practical Verdict

Paisley, a small city in Renfrewshire just west of Glasgow, experiences high light pollution due to its own urban environment and the significant light dome from nearby Glasgow. As such, stargazing conditions are markedly poor, with the Milky Way entirely erased and only the brightest celestial objects visible in the sky.

Observing prospects are limited to luminous targets such as the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars or double stars. Deep-sky observing and most meteor-shower viewing are impractical. The western horizon is slightly cleaner compared to the east, where Glasgow's light dominates the visibility.

A major nearby upgrade is Bun na Dubh Bheinne, around 100 km west. This site offers much darker conditions suitable for deep-sky enthusiasts and those seeking Milky Way views.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor city sky - This is a poor city sky. The Milky Way is not visible and most deep-sky observing is unrealistic from the location itself.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is erased by the bright urban sky background.

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

Bun na Dubh Bheinne sits about 98 km west and reaches Bortle 2, roughly 20x darker.

Moderate dark window

Paisley's limiting factor is not only light pollution. Around midsummer, Paisley 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 Paisley?

No. Paisley is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.57, 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 Paisley?

Paisley is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.57), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Paisley good for stargazing?

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

Is Paisley good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Paisley?

Primary targets from Paisley 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 Paisley?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Tarbert, about 63 km west of Paisley, reaching Bortle 2.

When is the sky darkest in Paisley?

The sky over Paisley is darkest around January, December. Major high-latitude limitation: around 95 nights per year have no true astronomical darkness.

Is light pollution in Paisley getting better or worse?

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

• Tarbert

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  63.1

  SQM

  21.72

  Bortle

  2

• Machrie

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  69.4

  SQM

  21.70

  Bortle

  3

• Shalloch Craig Face

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  75

  SQM

  21.24

  Bortle

  4

• Argyll and Bute

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  80.7

  SQM

  21.39

  Bortle

  3

• Bun na Dubh Bheinne

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  98.2

  SQM

  21.80

  Bortle

  2

• Aros Bridge

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  124.7

  SQM

  21.85

  Bortle

  2