Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden
Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden has an estimated Bortle 5–6 sky (mid-sized city). The Milky Way core never climbs 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness from here.
How dark the sky is around Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for 57.71°, 11.97°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Gothenburg
Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden is a mid-sized city (population about 608,462). A place this size typically has a bright suburban sky: main constellations are easy, the Milky Way is washed out. That is an estimate of Bortle class 5–6 from population, not a measurement: the real value depends on the exact spot you observe from.
For a measured reading at any point, open the live Dark Sky map.
Nearest dark-sky places and observatories
No certified dark-sky place or observatory in our registry lies within 150 km of Gothenburg. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.
Milky Way season in Gothenburg
The Milky Way's bright core never climbs 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness from Gothenburg; the fainter band is still visible from a dark site.
- The north celestial pole stands 57.7° above the horizon, so stars within 58° of it never set from here.
- About 92.3% of the whole sky rises above the horizon at some point in the year from this latitude.
- The Milky Way's core in Sagittarius culminates about 3.3° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 10 m elevation, roughly 0% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.
Tonight and aurora
As of October 20, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 64% illumination. Aurora at 57.7° latitude generally needs about Kp 3.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Gothenburg: common questions
Is Gothenburg a good place for stargazing?
Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden is a mid-sized city, so its typical sky is bright suburban sky: main constellations are easy, the Milky Way is washed out (an estimate of Bortle 5–6 from population, not a measurement). No certified dark-sky place or observatory in our registry lies within 150 km, so a dark site means driving away from the city's glow toward the darkest horizon you can reach.
When can you see the Milky Way from Gothenburg?
From Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden the Milky Way's bright core never climbs 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness at any time of year, so the best views are of the fainter parts of the band.
What is the best night this month for stargazing near Gothenburg?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-10-20 the Moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 64% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.