Each month highlights the closest Friday-through-Sunday dark window around New Moon.
Best nights calendar
The next dark-sky weekends and sky events.
A 12-month planning calendar for New Moon weekends, meteor-shower peaks, and eclipses. Download the calendar, then use Stella for the location-specific cloud, seeing, and moonset call.
Calendar export27 nights and sky events
Imports into Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook, and most astronomy trip calendars.
Dark windowJuly 2026 New Moon weekendJul 17-Jul 19Meteor peakDelta Aquariids meteor shower peakJul 30 peakMeteor peakPerseids meteor shower peakAug 12 peakEclipseTotal Solar EclipseAug 12, 2026 at 17:45:51 UTCDark windowAugust 2026 New Moon weekendAug 14-Aug 16EclipsePartial Lunar EclipseAug 28, 2026 at 04:12:49 UTC
MonthNight or eventWhy it mattersType
July 2026July 2026 New Moon weekendJul 17-Jul 19Darkest weekend around the Jul 14 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowJuly 2026Delta Aquariids meteor shower peakJul 30 peakApproximate peak up to ~25/hr. A steady southern-hemisphere favourite.Meteor peakAugust 2026Perseids meteor shower peakAug 12 peakApproximate peak up to ~100/hr. The summer classic — bright, fast, and reliable.Meteor peakAugust 2026Total Solar EclipseAug 12, 2026 at 17:45:51 UTCVisible from northern North America, western Africa, Europe. Local circumstances vary by location.EclipseAugust 2026August 2026 New Moon weekendAug 14-Aug 16Darkest weekend around the Aug 12 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowAugust 2026Partial Lunar EclipseAug 28, 2026 at 04:12:49 UTCVisible from eastern Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa. Local circumstances vary by location.EclipseSeptember 2026September 2026 New Moon weekendSep 11-Sep 13Darkest weekend around the Sep 11 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowOctober 2026Draconids meteor shower peakOct 8 peakApproximate peak up to ~10/hr. Slow meteors, best in the evening; occasional outbursts.Meteor peakOctober 2026October 2026 New Moon weekendOct 9-Oct 11Darkest weekend around the Oct 10 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowOctober 2026Orionids meteor shower peakOct 21 peakApproximate peak up to ~20/hr. Swift meteors, also from Halley's Comet.Meteor peakNovember 2026Southern Taurids meteor shower peakNov 5 peakApproximate peak up to ~5/hr. Few but often bright, slow fireballs.Meteor peakNovember 2026November 2026 New Moon weekendNov 6-Nov 8Darkest weekend around the Nov 9 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowNovember 2026Leonids meteor shower peakNov 17 peakApproximate peak up to ~15/hr. Fast meteors with rare, historic storms.Meteor peakDecember 2026December 2026 New Moon weekendDec 11-Dec 13Darkest weekend around the Dec 9 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowDecember 2026Geminids meteor shower peakDec 14 peakApproximate peak up to ~120/hr. The year's best — slow, colourful, and prolific.Meteor peakDecember 2026Ursids meteor shower peakDec 22 peakApproximate peak up to ~10/hr. A modest shower near the winter solstice.Meteor peakJanuary 2027Quadrantids meteor shower peakJan 3 peakApproximate peak up to ~110/hr. Sharp peak, fast meteors — best from the northern hemisphere.Meteor peakJanuary 2027January 2027 New Moon weekendJan 8-Jan 10Darkest weekend around the Jan 7 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowFebruary 2027February 2027 New Moon weekendFeb 5-Feb 7Darkest weekend around the Feb 6 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowFebruary 2027Annular Solar EclipseFeb 6, 2027 at 15:59:32 UTCVisible from South America, Antarctica, western and southern Africa. Local circumstances vary by location.EclipseFebruary 2027Penumbral Lunar EclipseFeb 20, 2027 at 23:12:50 UTCVisible from Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia. Local circumstances vary by location.EclipseMarch 2027March 2027 New Moon weekendMar 5-Mar 7Darkest weekend around the Mar 8 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowApril 2027April 2027 New Moon weekendApr 9-Apr 11Darkest weekend around the Apr 7 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowApril 2027Lyrids meteor shower peakApr 22 peakApproximate peak up to ~18/hr. The first good shower of northern spring.Meteor peakMay 2027Eta Aquariids meteor shower peakMay 6 peakApproximate peak up to ~50/hr. Debris from Halley's Comet; better from the south.Meteor peakMay 2027May 2027 New Moon weekendMay 7-May 9Darkest weekend around the May 6 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowJune 2027June 2027 New Moon weekendJun 4-Jun 6Darkest weekend around the Jun 4 New Moon. Use it for Milky Way, nebulae, galaxies, and faint meteor activity.Dark windowPeak dates are approximate and marked as calendar reminders, not local weather guarantees.
Eclipse rows point to Stella eclipse details for visibility regions and local planning tools.
Next steps
Turn the calendar into an observing plan.
Pair the date with tonight's sky score, ISS passes, dark places, and practical guides.
Tonight plannerCheck the actual night
Score moonlight, darkness, and nearby dark-sky quality before leaving.
Open routeISS passesAdd a flyover to the planPredict Space Station passes over your city around the same dark window.
Open routeDark-sky mapFind darker groundBrowse protected places, parks, observatories, and reserves by darkness.
Open routeGuideKnow what to look forUse the practical tonight guide to choose targets by sky quality and season.
Open route