The Night Sky in Washington, D.C.
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in Washington, D.C.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.'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.
Washington, D.C. is entirely urban, and its skies rank among the most light-polluted in the country — the glow from downtown, the Beltway suburbs, and the wider Baltimore-Washington corridor drowns out all but the moon, planets, and the brightest stars on most nights. The District is small and built-up enough that it has no genuinely dark patch of sky within its own borders, so anyone chasing a real star-filled view needs to drive out past the suburbs into the Virginia or Maryland countryside. Inside the city itself, the best you can do is put distance between yourself and direct streetlight glare, which still rewards patient eyes with a few dozen stars and clear views of the moon and the brighter planets.
Dark-sky places in Washington, D.C.
- Rock Creek Park — The District's largest natural area, this forested National Park Service park cuts through the middle of the city and puts real tree cover between you and direct streetlights. It's still washed out by the city's overall glow, but it's the closest thing D.C. has to a break from downtown brightness — good for the moon, planets, and the brightest stars.
- Great Falls, along the Potomac — About 15 miles upriver from downtown, spanning Great Falls Park on the Virginia side and the C&O Canal towpath on the Maryland side, the river gorge here sits far enough out that the sky noticeably darkens after sunset. It's still touched by D.C.'s glow to the southeast, but it's an easy, popular evening trip for D.C.-area stargazers wanting a real step up from downtown.
- Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge — About 75 miles and under two hours from downtown, the overlooks along Skyline Drive sit high above the valley haze, putting real distance between you and the Washington-Baltimore light dome. This is where most serious D.C.-area stargazers end up heading on a clear, moonless night, with the Milky Way visible from the ridgeline.
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 Washington, D.C. nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in Washington, D.C. to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over Washington, D.C.
A stargazing companion for the District 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 Washington, D.C..