Stargazing guide
Stargazing in Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Senegal
Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Senegal has an estimated Bortle 5–6 sky (mid-sized city). The Milky Way core is highest after dark in April, at about 45°.
How dark the sky is around Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Senegal, the nearest certified dark-sky places, when the Milky Way core is visible, and the next dark New Moon. Calculated for 16.02°, -16.49°.
Estimated sky glow
Milky Way core
Next New Moon
Dark-sky rating for Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Senegal is a mid-sized city (population about 254,171). 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 Saint-Louis. Our list only includes genuine, publicly documented sites, so none is shown rather than guessed.
Milky Way season in Saint-Louis
The bright core of the Milky Way climbs high above the horizon haze. It climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, peaking in April at about 45°.
- The north celestial pole stands 16° above the horizon, so stars within 16° of it never set from here.
- About 63.8% 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 45° up, clearing the horizon haze comfortably.
- The Large Magellanic Cloud only reaches about 4.3° altitude, so it is a low, seasonal target rather than a year-round one.
- At 8 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 13, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 11% illumination. Aurora at 16.0° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.
Nearby places
Stargazing in Saint-Louis: common questions
Is Saint-Louis a good place for stargazing?
Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Senegal 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 Saint-Louis?
From Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Senegal (16.02°, -16.49°) the Milky Way's bright core climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. It peaks in April, reaching about 45°. Moonlight, cloud and city lights still decide what you actually see.
What is the best night this month for stargazing near Saint-Louis?
The darkest nights fall around the New Moon. As of 2026-10-13 the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 11% illumination, and the next New Moon is November 9, 2026 (UTC). Pair it with a clear forecast and a site away from town lights.