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Astronomy · Southern Hemisphere

Stargazing in Reunion Island: 6 spots, southern sky, observatory

From the Maïdo to the Plaine des Sables and the Observatoire des Makes: where to observe the southern night sky, which constellations to look for, when to shoot the Milky Way, and how to prepare for a night of stargazing.

6 spots coveredBortle 1 exceptional sky at altitude
The southern sky

Reunion Island, one of the world's most beautiful skies

At 21° south latitude, Reunion Island offers full access to the southern sky, which is hidden from Europe and North America. The Southern Cross, the Magellanic Clouds, and the galactic centre of the Milky Way pass overhead at certain times of year. Combined with the altitude of the Hauts (Maïdo and Plaine des Sables sit above 2,000 m), near-zero light pollution away from the coast, and a tropical climate that's generally clear during austral winter, the island offers one of the most beautiful skies anywhere in France.

This page covers six observation spots (with their Bortle sky-quality rating), the southern constellations season by season, the six main meteor showers, the Observatoire des Makes and its guided evenings, and all the practical tips for preparing a night of stargazing.

The Bortle scale measures sky quality on 9 levels: Bortle 1 = exceptional sky (the Milky Way casts a shadow, thousands of stars visible), Bortle 9 = saturated urban sky (barely a few stars). For comparison, most of mainland France sits at Bortle 4-7 outside very remote areas. Maïdo and Plaine des Sables reach Bortle 1, which is extremely rare in France.

Six spots

Where to observe the sky in Reunion Island

Six spots ranked from the most accessible (the Observatoire des Makes by car, guided evening) to the most demanding (the summit of Piton des Neiges on a self-sufficient overnight hike).

#SpotAltitudeSky qualityAccessNote
01Maïdo2,200 mBortle 1 (excellent)Car, parking at the summitA viewpoint over Mafate on the west side. Expect wind, bring a fleece and windbreaker. Busy during tourist season.
02Plaine des Sables2,250 mBortle 1 (excellent)Car to the car park, then a short approach walkA spectacular mineral desert. Wild camping allowed. A clear 360° horizon. Ideal for astrophotography.
03Piton de l'Eau1,800 mBortle 2 (very good)2-3 hour hiking trailA forest plateau accessible on foot only. Wild camping tolerated. Guaranteed peace and quiet.
04Piton des Neiges summit3,070 mBortle 1 (exceptional)4-5 hour night hikeThe ultimate experience, but reserved for seasoned hikers. A memorable sunrise.
05Observatoire des Makes1,000 mBortle 3 (good)Car, on a regular roadGuided telescope observation evenings. Family-friendly, with passionate guides.
06Bébour-Bélouve forest1,500 mBortle 2 (very good)Forest road plus trailsA forest plateau above Salazie. Wild camping allowed. Clear skies outside of fog.

Four of the six spots can be reached by car (see the Access column above), but you'll be driving up and back down in the dark, so do the route once in daylight first. Once your travel dates are fixed, see which rental cars are available for these night outings.

The sky, season by season

Constellations and notable objects by season

The sky changes with the seasons. Four highlights throughout the year, each with its own characteristic constellations and objects to point binoculars or a telescope at.

SeasonMain constellationsObjects to look for
Austral summer (Dec-Feb)Orion (upside down), Canis Major (Sirius, the brightest star in the sky), Auriga, Taurus (the Pleiades)Pleiades M45, the Great Orion Nebula M42 (visible with binoculars)
Austral autumn (Mar-May)Leo, Virgo, Centaurus (with Alpha Centauri, the closest star to the Sun), the Southern CrossThe Sombrero Galaxy M104 (telescope), the Omega Centauri globular cluster (binoculars)
Austral winter (Jun-Aug)Scorpius (overhead), Sagittarius (the centre of the Milky Way), a spectacular Milky WayThe galactic centre, the Lagoon Nebula M8 and the Trifid Nebula M20, the M22 cluster (binoculars)
Austral spring (Sep-Nov)Capricornus, Aquarius, the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds (satellite galaxies of the Milky Way)The Small and Large Magellanic Clouds (visible to the naked eye, southern hemisphere only)
Meteor showers

Six showers to watch throughout the year

The Geminids in December and the Eta Aquariids in May are the most spectacular from the southern hemisphere. Lie down and pick a moonless night to get the most out of it.

ShowerPeakIntensityNotes
Quadrantids3-4 January≈100 meteors/h at peakShort activity window (6 h), best watched on the night of 3-4 January
Lyrids21-22 April≈18 meteors/hA modest shower but with bright meteors. Best after midnight.
Eta Aquariids5-6 May≈50 meteors/h (southern hemisphere)Excellent from the southern hemisphere. Linked to Halley's Comet.
Perseids12-13 August≈100 meteors/h (moderate in the south)The best-known shower, better seen from the northern hemisphere. Visible in the south, though less intense.
Orionids21-22 October≈20 meteors/hFast meteors, visible all night. Also linked to Halley's Comet.
Geminids13-14 December≈120 meteors/hThe densest shower of the year. Excellent visibility in the south, viewable from 9pm.
The guided evenings

The Observatoire des Makes: telescope evenings

Tucked away in the Hauts of Saint-Louis at 1,000 m altitude, the Observatoire des Makes is a long-standing amateur astronomy site in Reunion Island. Public observation evenings are held there with professional telescopes (up to 600 mm in diameter depending on the evening).

A typical programme:a presentation of the evening sky (star chart, visible constellations, associated mythology), guided observation of the Moon (craters, seas, the terminator line where shadow creates dramatic relief), visible planets depending on the season (Saturn's rings, Jupiter's bands and its Galilean moons, Mars's polar cap), and deep-sky objects (galaxies, nebulae, globular clusters).

Audience:all levels, with children welcome from age 7-8. Passionate, knowledgeable guides. Evenings run in French (worth knowing if you don't speak it), last 2-3 hours and are reasonably priced. Booking recommended. See their official website for time slots, prices, weather-cancellation terms and any astrophotography taster courses.

Frequently asked questions

The most common questions

What's the best place to go stargazing in Reunion Island?
The Maïdo (2,200 m) and the Plaine des Sables (2,250 m) top the list for sky quality: altitude above 2,000 m, near-zero light pollution (Bortle 1, the best rating), spectacular scenery. The Plaine des Sables also has the advantage of a clear 360° horizon, ideal for astrophotography. For visitors who prefer a guided evening, the Observatoire des Makes (1,000 m, in the Hauts of Saint-Louis) runs telescope observation evenings with passionate guides. See their official website for time slots and prices.
Which constellations can you see from Reunion Island?
The island sits in the southern hemisphere (21°S latitude), so you get the full southern sky, which is hidden from Europe and North America: the Southern Cross, Centaurus (with Alpha and Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun), the Magellanic Clouds (two satellite galaxies visible to the naked eye), Scorpius overhead during austral winter. Constellations shared with the northern hemisphere (Orion, Canis Major) look 'upside down' to visitors from the north. The Milky Way crosses the sky spectacularly between June and October, with its galactic centre facing south.
When is the best time to go stargazing in Reunion Island?
The best time is austral winter (June to September): long nights, skies over the Hauts that are often clear (before midnight), and cool temperatures that reduce atmospheric turbulence. Avoid the cyclone season from January to March, when the sky is regularly overcast. For meteor showers, aim for the Eta Aquariids (5-6 May, ≈50 meteors/h, excellent in the south), the Perseids (12-13 August, moderate in the south), the Geminids (13-14 December, the densest of the year, ≈120 meteors/h). Check the lunar calendar: avoid full-moon nights, which wash out the sky.
Do you need a telescope to observe the sky in Reunion Island?
No, with the naked eye alone you already see far more than from most of Europe, thanks to the lack of light pollution at altitude. A pair of 10x50 binoculars (€60-120) multiplies the experience, revealing star clusters (the Pleiades, Omega Centauri), bright nebulae (Orion, the Lagoon Nebula), and the Moon in detail. An amateur telescope (150-300 mm in diameter, €400-1,200) opens the door to the planets (Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons, Mars's polar cap), galaxies and planetary nebulae.
Can you do astrophotography in Reunion Island?
Yes, and the island is actually a recognised spot for it. The Maïdo and the Plaine des Sables allow long exposures against truly dark skies, with spectacular landscapes in the foreground (Mafate under the stars, Piton des Neiges beneath the Milky Way). Minimum gear: a mirrorless or DSLR camera with manual mode, a fast lens at f/2.8 or wider (a Samyang 14mm f/2.8 costs around €350), and a sturdy tripod. Rough settings: ISO 3200-6400, 15-25 second exposures, manual focus set to infinity. See my travel photography article for the technical detail.
What can you see at the Observatoire des Makes?
The Observatoire des Makes runs guided observation evenings with professional telescopes (up to 600 mm in diameter depending on the evening). A typical programme: a presentation of the evening sky (star chart, visible constellations), observation of the Moon (craters, seas, the terminator line), visible planets (Saturn's rings, Jupiter's bands), and deep-sky objects (galaxies, nebulae, clusters). Passionate, knowledgeable guides, suitable for children from age 7-8. Evenings are run in French (worth knowing if you don't speak it), last 2-3 hours and are reasonably priced. Booking recommended on their official website.
Which meteor showers can you see from Reunion Island?
Six major showers throughout the year. Quadrantids (3-4 January, short but ≈100 meteors/h at peak). Lyrids (21-22 April, modest but bright). Eta Aquariids (5-6 May, excellent in the south, ≈50 meteors/h, linked to Halley's Comet). Perseids (12-13 August, moderate from the south, ≈50 meteors/h). Orionids (21-22 October, ≈20 meteors/h, also linked to Halley's Comet). Geminids (13-14 December, the densest of the year, ≈120 meteors/h, viewable from 9pm). To make the most of it: a moonless night, a clear sky, and lying down to take in a large stretch of sky.
How do you prepare for a night of stargazing in Reunion Island?
Five essentials. Warm clothing: even during austral summer, it's 5-12°C at night at altitude, so bring a light down jacket, a fleece, a beanie, gloves. A red head torch (preserves night vision, unlike white light). An offline star-chart app (Stellarium Mobile, SkyView, Sky Tonight). A hot drink in a thermos. Scout the spot during daylight if possible. Let your eyes adjust to the dark: 30-45 minutes without looking at a screen or white light so your eyes can pick up the maximum number of stars.
Are there astronomy courses or workshops in Reunion Island?
Yes. The Observatoire des Makes occasionally runs introductory courses (reading the sky, handling a telescope, astrophotography). Several local amateur astronomers organise public observation evenings during the dry season; look for them on social media and at local events. For children, some holiday clubs and schools occasionally include astronomy activities. The Société Astronomique de la Réunion (SAR) brings enthusiasts together and organises group observation outings.
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