The Night Sky in Connecticut
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in Connecticut.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in Connecticut comes on clear, moonless nights, and January, November and December give you the most of them to work with — about 14.8 hours of darkness at the December peak, computed from Connecticut's own sun times. Below: this year's meteor-shower peaks and how bright the moon will be for each, a month-by-month new- and full-moon calendar, and the darkest places to watch from.
Connecticut's small footprint and dense population make truly dark skies scarce, especially along the shoreline and the Hartford-New Haven-Bridgeport corridor, where sky glow from the New York City metro area and the state's own cities washes out all but the brightest stars. Conditions improve substantially once you move into the state's hillier, more sparsely settled corners, where a clear, moonless night can still reveal the Milky Way overhead. Late fall and winter typically bring the driest air and earliest darkness, while summer's haze and humidity tend to dull the view. Since no spot in Connecticut is truly remote, the most reliable strategy for stargazers is simply putting as much distance as possible between yourself and the nearest city glow.
Dark-sky places in Connecticut
- Litchfield Hills (northwest Connecticut) — This is the state's hilliest and most sparsely populated corner, sitting farthest from Connecticut's largest cities. State parks and forests here, including Macedonia Brook State Park and Housatonic Meadows State Park, offer open fields and ridgelines with little nearby development for a clearer view of the stars.
- The Quiet Corner (northeastern Connecticut) — Connecticut's rural northeast, informally known as the Quiet Corner, is among the least developed parts of the state. Bigelow Hollow State Park and the surrounding Nipmuck State Forest, in the town of Union near the Massachusetts border, offer large stretches of woods and open water with little artificial lighting nearby.
- Rural land off the I-95 and I-91 corridors — Beyond those two regions, any state forest, farmland, or town green well removed from the Hartford-New Haven-Bridgeport corridor and the coast will generally offer darker skies than the nearby suburbs. Checking a light-pollution map before you head out, and letting your eyes adjust for 15-20 minutes once you arrive, makes a noticeable difference wherever you end up.
Ranger programs, star parties and opening hours change season to season — check with the site before you drive out.
The sky this month (August)
The moon in August: New moon Aug 12 · Full moon Aug 28. Darkest skies fall around Aug 7–Aug 17, near the new moon.
Meteor showers peaking in August:
| Meteor shower | Peak | Meteors/hr | Moon | Best time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perseids | Aug 12 | 100 | 0% near-new | late evening to dawn |
Meteor showers in 2026
| Meteor shower | Peak | Meteors/hr | Moon | Best time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | Jan 3 | 120 | 100% near-full | after midnight into dawn |
| Lyrids | Apr 22 | 18 | 29% crescent | after midnight |
| Eta Aquariids | May 6 | 50 | 83% gibbous | pre-dawn (better in the South) |
| Southern Delta Aquariids | Jul 30 | 25 | 100% near-full | pre-dawn |
| Perseids | Aug 12 | 100 | 0% near-new | late evening to dawn |
| Draconids | Oct 8 | 10 | 7% crescent | early evening |
| Orionids | Oct 21 | 20 | 74% gibbous | after midnight |
| Southern Taurids | Nov 5 | 5 | 16% crescent | late evening (slow, bright fireballs) |
| Northern Taurids | Nov 12 | 5 | 8% crescent | late evening (slow, bright fireballs) |
| Leonids | Nov 17 | 15 | 48% quarter moon | after midnight |
| Geminids | Dec 14 | 150 | 22% crescent | evening to dawn (best all year) |
| Ursids | Dec 22 | 10 | 95% near-full | after midnight |
Moon phases in 2026
| Month | New moon (darkest) | Full moon |
|---|---|---|
| January | Jan 18 | Jan 3 |
| February | Feb 17 | Feb 1 |
| March | Mar 18 | Mar 3 |
| April | Apr 17 | Apr 1 |
| May | May 16 | May 1, May 31 |
| June | Jun 14 | Jun 29 |
| July | Jul 14 | Jul 29 |
| August | Aug 12 | Aug 28 |
| September | Sep 10 | Sep 26 |
| October | Oct 10 | Oct 26 |
| November | Nov 9 | Nov 24 |
| December | Dec 8 | Dec 23 |
Which Connecticut nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in Connecticut to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over Connecticut
A stargazing companion for the state that does not expire: the meteor calendar, the darkest places, and how to read any year's sky.
Want it on paper? See the printable The Night Sky over Connecticut.