The Night Sky in Delaware
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in Delaware.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in Delaware comes on clear, moonless nights, and January, November and December give you the most of them to work with — about 14.6 hours of darkness at the December peak, computed from Delaware'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.
Delaware's small footprint and dense northern development mean light pollution from Wilmington, Newark, and the greater Philadelphia-Baltimore corridor washes out much of the sky over New Castle County. Conditions improve noticeably as you head south into Kent and Sussex counties, where farmland, state forest, and wildlife refuge land create real pockets of darker sky. Delaware's flat, humid coastal climate means haze can still soften views even in rural spots, and its flat, humid coastal climate means haze can still soften views even in rural spots, but a clear, moonless night well south of Dover can still deliver a solid view of the Milky Way. The main strategy is simple: get away from the Route 1 beach corridor and the northern population centers.
Dark-sky places in Delaware
- Cape Henlopen State Park — On the Sussex County coast near Lewes, the park's interior and bayside areas pull you away from the resort lighting of Rehoboth Beach, opening up views over Delaware Bay on clear nights.
- Trap Pond State Park — This inland Sussex County park near Laurel sits well away from any major town, and the surrounding forest and low development help keep the immediate sky darker than most of the state.
- Redden State Forest — Delaware's largest state forest tract, near Georgetown, offers broad stretches of woodland with little artificial lighting nearby, making it a good option for southern Delaware stargazing.
- Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge — This Kent County refuge along Delaware Bay has essentially no nighttime development within its boundaries, and its open marshland gives a wide, unobstructed horizon once your eyes adjust.
- Rural farm country in Kent and Sussex counties — Away from Dover and the beach towns, the quiet back roads through Delaware's inland farmland offer some of the most accessible dark sky in the state; just be sure to park legally, such as on a road shoulder or public lot.
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 Delaware nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in Delaware to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over Delaware
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 Delaware.