Roseville Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.34

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

26%

Dataset

April 2026

City sky

Roseville: The Practical Verdict

Roseville, a small city in suburban California, suffers from high light pollution due to its proximity to Sacramento, only 25 km to the south-west. Overall, the urban glow significantly limits sky visibility, earning it a classification of 'Poor city sky'. The south-west horizon is the brightest due to Sacramento, while the north-west offers a slightly cleaner outlook.

The Milky Way is not visible here, and stargazing is best limited to the Moon, planets, and bright celestial objects like double stars and close open clusters. For deep-sky enthusiasts, broadband targets and visible nebulae are effectively beyond reach. Narrowband imaging requires meticulous calibration to counteract the prevalent light pollution.

For those seeking darker conditions, Streeter Ridge Trail, located roughly 160 km to the west-north-west, offers considerably improved skies under Bortle 4 conditions.

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

Streeter Ridge Trail, California sits about 159 km west north west and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 15x darker.

Good dark window

Roseville'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 Roseville?

No. Roseville is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.34, 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 Roseville?

Roseville is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.34), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Roseville good for stargazing?

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

Is Roseville good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from Roseville?

Primary targets from Roseville 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 Roseville?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Rancho Marina RV Park, California, about 76 km south south west of Roseville, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in Roseville?

The sky over Roseville is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Roseville getting better or worse?

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

• Calaveras County, California

  Direction

  SSE

  Distance (km)

  97.6

  SQM

  20.64

  Bortle

  5

• Oat Hill Extension Mine, California

  Direction

  W

  Distance (km)

  107.4

  SQM

  20.68

  Bortle

  5

• 826, California

  Direction

  WSW

  Distance (km)

  123.6

  SQM

  20.59

  Bortle

  5

• Streeter Ridge Trail, California

  Direction

  WNW

  Distance (km)

  158.7

  SQM

  21.27

  Bortle

  4

• Rancho Marina RV Park, California

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  76

  SQM

  19.61

  Bortle

  6