Stargazing in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

Dark-sky rating for Mexicali

Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico is a large metropolitan area (population about 1,032,686). A place this size typically has a bright inner-city sky: only the Moon, planets and the brightest stars show from inside the urban core. That is an estimate of Bortle class 7–9 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 Mexicali. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.

Milky Way season in Mexicali

The bright core of the Milky Way stays low, so you need a clear southern or northern horizon. It climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, peaking in April at about 28°.

• The north celestial pole stands 32.6° above the horizon, so stars within 33° of it never set from here.
• About 77% 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 28.4° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
• At 4 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 19, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a First Quarter at 54% illumination. Aurora at 32.6° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.

Nearby places

• San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico
• Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
• Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
• San Diego, CA
• Palm Springs, CA
• Riverside, CA