Stargazing in Suai, Cova Lima, Timor Leste

Dark-sky rating for Suai

Suai, Cova Lima, Timor Leste is a small town (population about 21,539). A place this size typically has a rural sky: the Milky Way is usually visible on clear, moonless nights away from local lighting. That is an estimate of Bortle class 1–4 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

• Timau National Observatory · observatory · about 142 km away

Milky Way season in Suai

The bright core of the Milky Way passes almost directly overhead. 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 70°.

• The south celestial pole stands 9.3° above the horizon, so stars within 9° of it never set from here.
• About 58.1% 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 70.3° up, passing almost directly overhead.
• The Large Magellanic Cloud only reaches about 29.6° altitude, so it is a low, seasonal target rather than a year-round one.
• At 73 m elevation, roughly 1% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.

Tonight and aurora

As of October 14, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Crescent at 15% illumination. Aurora at 9.3° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.

Nearby places

• Tilomar, Cova Lima, Timor Leste
• Maliana, Bobonaro, Timor Leste
• Aileu, Aileu, Timor Leste
• Likisa, Liquiçá, Timor Leste
• Dili, Dili Municipality, Timor Leste
• Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia