St. Paul Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

17.74

Bortle class

Class 9 (Class 9)

Darkness Quotient

21%

Dataset

April 2026

Inner city sky

St. Paul: The Practical Verdict

St. Paul, a mid-sized city in Minnesota, offers a heavily light-polluted environment for astrophotography and stargazing alike. The severe urban sky, rated as Class 9 on the Bortle scale and with no visible Milky Way, significantly limits deep-sky observing opportunities.

From within the city, focus on targets that can pierce through the bright background such as the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars. Narrowband imaging requires careful consideration here, and dimmer objects, particularly large-scale nebulas or faint galaxies, remain effectively out of reach. Observing capacity shifts with the cleanliness of the east-north-east horizon, moderately freer from light pollution compared to the glowing western skyline dominated by Minneapolis.

For vastly improved conditions, consider heading east to the town of Menomonie in Wisconsin, approximately 85 km away. This site, a Bortle 4 zone with an SQM of 21.2, offers significantly better visibility for deep-sky pursuits.

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

Town of Menomonie, Wisconsin sits about 86 km east and reaches Bortle 4, roughly 24x darker.

Good dark window

St. Paul'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 St. Paul?

No. St. Paul is a Bortle Class 9 sky with SQM 17.74, 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 St. Paul?

St. Paul is Bortle Class 9 (SQM 17.74), a severe urban sky for astronomy.

Is St. Paul good for stargazing?

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

Is St. Paul good for astrophotography?

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

What can you observe from St. Paul?

Primary targets from St. Paul 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 St. Paul?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Town of Warren, Wisconsin, about 38 km east of St. Paul, reaching Bortle 6.

When is the sky darkest in St. Paul?

The sky over St. Paul is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in St. Paul getting better or worse?

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

• Town of Warren, Wisconsin

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  38.2

  SQM

  19.78

  Bortle

  6

• Town of Menomonie, Wisconsin

  Direction

  E

  Distance (km)

  86.4

  SQM

  21.20

  Bortle

  4

• Austin, Minnesota

  Direction

  S

  Distance (km)

  141.7

  SQM

  20.49

  Bortle

  5

• Norway Ridge, Wisconsin

  Direction

  ESE

  Distance (km)

  237.1

  SQM

  21.09

  Bortle

  4

• French Creek Township, Iowa

  Direction

  SE

  Distance (km)

  223.2

  SQM

  20.81

  Bortle

  4