Beginner telescope
Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Reflector
A budget Newtonian that shows the Moon's craters and Jupiter's moons. Best for first-timers who want aperture for the money.
Stargazing in London, England
From inner London the sky is washed to inner-city Bortle 9 — but that doesn't mean nothing's up. The Moon, the bright planets (Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn) and ISS passes punch straight through the skyglow, and they happen to be exactly what a first telescope shows best.
The sky from London, right now
- Planets
- Constellation lines
- Deep-sky (Messier)
- Ecliptic — the planets' path
- Milky Way
- Horizon
Live planetarium for your location & local time · drag to explore · bright stars & Messier objects labelled.
London, England sky at a glance
- Sky darkness
- Bortle 9 — inner-city skies
- Elevation
- 115 ft
- Best months
- October, November, February
- Coordinates
- 51.51°, -0.13°
When to look up
Light pollution, not cloud, is the ceiling here — target the Moon and planets rather than faint deep-sky. December's long, dark evenings lift Jupiter and Orion high enough to clear the rooftops.
Worth hunting for from here: the Moon's craters; Jupiter's four bright moons; Saturn's rings; the phases of Venus.
Escaping the city glow
The North Downs and Chilterns (about an hour out) reach Bortle 5–6; for a true dark sky head for the South Downs or beyond.
Light pollution around London, England
NASA VIIRS night lights (Black Marble) · brighter = more skyglow · darker = better stargazing.
Gear to get started
New to observing from London? These beginner-friendly picks suit inner-city skies. See our full gear guides for more.
Beginner telescope
Celestron NexStar 4SE Computerized Telescope
A compact GoTo Maksutov that finds and tracks targets automatically — the easiest path from 'I bought a telescope' to actually seeing things.
Astronomy binoculars
Celestron SkyMaster 25x70 Binoculars
The classic 'try astronomy without a telescope' pick. Sweeps the Milky Way and resolves bright star clusters. Use a tripod adapter.