Reykjavik, Iceland Stargazing Forecast

Reykjavik, Iceland (64.15°, -21.94°) · Updated 11:10 UTC
No Astronomical Darkness
Too bright to score tonight

At this latitude the sun only drops to -7° below the horizon tonight, so the sky never reaches astronomical darkness. Deep-sky targets like galaxies and nebulae stay washed out.

Sunset 22:37 · Sunrise 04:31

Stargazing in Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik's northerly latitude (64.1°N) makes it one of the world's best cities for aurora, with displays visible from within the city limits. Iceland's minimal light pollution means Bortle 3–4 skies are just 15 minutes from downtown. The sub-Arctic climate brings frequent cloud, but clearances are often sudden and dramatic. Summer brings midnight sun (no stargazing May–July), but winter nights are 19+ hours long. The Westfjords and central highlands offer near-pristine Bortle 1–2 darkness.

Reykjavik, Iceland Stargazing FAQ

Can you see the northern lights from Reykjavik?∨
Yes — aurora displays are visible from within the city limits on clear, dark nights. Grótta lighthouse at the western tip of the city is a popular viewing spot with minimal light pollution to the north and west.
When is the best time to see the aurora in Iceland?∨
September through March, with the best chances around the equinoxes. Iceland's sub-Arctic weather means cloud is frequent, but clearances are often sudden and dramatic. Check the forecast and be ready to go on short notice.
Where is the darkest sky in Iceland?∨
The Westfjords and central highlands offer near-pristine Bortle 1-2 darkness. Even 15 minutes from downtown Reykjavik reaches Bortle 3-4, thanks to Iceland's minimal light pollution.

Stargazing guides

Is Tonight Good for Stargazing?

The answer depends on five things you can check right now.

Light Pollution & the Bortle Scale

How dark is your sky — and what difference does it make?

What Planets Are Visible Tonight?

Real visibility data for all 7 naked-eye and telescope planets, calculated for your location.

Why the Sky Isn't Dark in Summer

What happens to stargazing when the sun barely sets — and what you can still see.
Check light pollution for this area ↗

Other locations

London Edinburgh Manchester Birmingham Glasgow Cardiff Belfast Leeds Bristol Liverpool Inverness Aberdeen York Cambridge Ballymena Bath Oxford Nottingham Sheffield Newcastle Dublin New York Los Angeles Chicago Houston Phoenix Denver San Francisco Seattle Austin Boston Miami Portland Nashville Minneapolis Salt Lake City Tucson Flagstaff Sedona Moab Anchorage Toronto Vancouver Montreal Calgary Jasper Paris Berlin Munich Amsterdam Rome Madrid Barcelona Lisbon Vienna Prague Copenhagen Stockholm Helsinki Oslo Tromsø Zurich Warsaw Budapest Athens Brussels Kiruna Rovaniemi Tenerife La Palma Tokyo Seoul Singapore Bangkok Dubai Mumbai Delhi Taipei Hong Kong Bali Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Perth Auckland Queenstown Cape Town Johannesburg Nairobi Marrakech Cairo Buenos Aires São Paulo Santiago Atacama Bogotá Mauna Kea Cherry Springs Galloway Forest Northumberland Cork Galway Plymouth Norwich Exeter Aberystwyth Kielder San Diego Las Vegas Dallas Atlanta Philadelphia Washington DC Albuquerque Big Bend Bryce Canyon Death Valley Ottawa Edmonton Winnipeg Yellowknife Milan Naples Krakow Geneva Nice Abisko Pic du Midi Sierra Nevada Faroe Islands Osaka Beijing Shanghai Kuala Lumpur Manila Abu Dhabi Tel Aviv Riyadh Istanbul Kyoto Adelaide Canberra Hobart Darwin Wellington Christchurch Lake Tekapo Uluru Windhoek Sutherland Casablanca Tunis Addis Ababa Accra Dar es Salaam Lagos Lima Quito Montevideo La Paz Elqui Valley Mendoza Cusco Asunción

See all locations on the map →