Quito Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

19.09

Bortle class

Class 7 (Class 7)

Darkness Quotient

34%

Dataset

April 2026

Suburban/urban transition

Quito: The Practical Verdict

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, exhibits a substantial degree of light pollution given its status as a major urban centre. As such, the sky quality is poor for astronomy when within the city limits, with the Milky Way completely obscured and weak visibility for many celestial phenomena. The dominant limitation is ambient urban light that interferes with perceptions of fainter objects.

From Quito's skies, bright celestial targets such as the Moon and planets remain the most viable for observation. Narrowband imaging can still be worthwhile for targeting emission nebulae, but significant light pollution imposes challenges on deep-sky visual astronomy. The least obstructed view appears to be towards the west.

For those seeking better conditions, Telembi in Esmeraldas, located north north west at around a two-hour drive, offers significantly improved viewing opportunities with darker skies conducive to deep-sky observation.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor urban/suburban sky - This is a poor sky for astronomy. The Moon, planets, and a few bright objects remain viable, but deep-sky work is difficult.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is not realistically visible from this level of light pollution.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing

Do not prioritise

visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, Milky Way photography

Best nearby upgrade

Telembi, Esmeraldas sits about 100 km north north west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 7.0x darker.

Good dark window

Quito 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 Quito?

No. Quito is a Bortle Class 7 sky with SQM 19.09, 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 Quito?

Quito is Bortle Class 7 (SQM 19.09), a poor urban/suburban sky for astronomy.

Is Quito good for stargazing?

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

Is Quito good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Quito and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Narrowband imaging of bright emission nebulae remains viable from Quito with appropriate Ha or OIII filters.

What can you observe from Quito?

Primary targets from Quito include Moon, planets, bright double stars, bright open clusters, narrowband imaging with careful processing. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Quito?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Pano, Napo, about 70 km south of Quito, reaching Bortle 4.

When is the sky darkest in Quito?

The sky over Quito is darkest around March, September.

Is light pollution in Quito getting better or worse?

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

• Pano, Napo

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  70

  SQM

  21.18

  Bortle

  4

• Telembi, Esmeraldas

  Direction

  NNW

  Distance (km)

  100.4

  SQM

  21.21

  Bortle

  4

• Santa Rosa, Napo

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  82.4

  SQM

  20.77

  Bortle

  5

• La Unión, Esmeraldas

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  110.7

  SQM

  21.00

  Bortle

  4

• Campeche, Manabí

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  131.4

  SQM

  21.06

  Bortle

  4