The Night Sky in Minnesota
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in Minnesota.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in Minnesota comes on clear, moonless nights, and January, November and December give you the most of them to work with — about 15.3 hours of darkness at the December peak, computed from Minnesota'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.
Minnesota's night skies range from the washed-out orange glow over the Twin Cities to some of the darkest conditions left in the eastern United States along its northern border. Low population density outside the metro area, plus vast stretches of national forest and protected wilderness in the north, keep light pollution unusually low for a state this size — Voyageurs National Park, along the Canadian border, is even certified as an International Dark Sky Park. Minnesota's high latitude also gives stargazers a real shot at the aurora borealis on clear, active nights, especially near the border. Winter offers the longest, darkest viewing windows, though clear skies can be scarce and cold-weather gear is essential.
Dark-sky places in Minnesota
- Voyageurs National Park — An International Dark Sky Park along a remote, lake-studded stretch of the Canadian border, with wide-open horizons that make it prime territory for both the Milky Way and the aurora borealis.
- Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness — More than a million acres of roadless, undeveloped forest and lakes in the Superior National Forest, with no towns or highways inside its boundary — some of the darkest, most light-pollution-free land in the eastern United States for those willing to paddle or portage in.
- North Shore state parks along Lake Superior — Parks well northeast of Duluth's light dome pair a dark, open lake horizon with some of the state's better odds of a visible aurora on an active night.
- State parks and forests in greater Minnesota — Away from the northern border country, public land well outside the Twin Cities metro area — particularly in the less-developed southern and western parts of the state — still offers solidly dark skies for a casual night of stargazing.
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 Minnesota nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in Minnesota to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over Minnesota
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 Minnesota.