The Night Sky in Montana
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in Montana.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in Montana comes on clear, moonless nights, and January, November and December give you the most of them to work with — about 15.4 hours of darkness at the December peak, computed from Montana'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.
Montana's nickname, "Big Sky Country," is well earned after dark. As one of the least densely populated states in the country, with vast stretches of public land, much of Montana enjoys some of the darkest skies remaining in the contiguous United States. Wide-open plains in the east and rugged mountain wilderness in the west both keep artificial light to a minimum, and the state's high elevations and dry, clear air sharpen the view even further. On a clear, moonless night the Milky Way is easily visible to the naked eye across most of rural Montana, with light pollution really only a concern near Billings, Missoula, and other population centers.
Dark-sky places in Montana
- Glacier National Park — Tucked against the Canadian border in Montana's northwest corner, the park's high peaks and near-total lack of nearby development make for exceptionally dark, star-filled skies, especially from turnouts along Going-to-the-Sun Road or the shores of Lake McDonald.
- Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex — One of the largest roadless wilderness areas in the Lower 48, "the Bob" has no towns, highways, or artificial light across well over a million acres, making its night sky about as unobstructed as it gets in the continental United States.
- Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge — This sprawling refuge along the Missouri River in eastern Montana sits far from any sizable town, giving visitors camped or pulled off along its back roads a wide-open, unobstructed view of the stars.
- Makoshika State Park — Montana's largest state park, set in badlands terrain outside Glendive on the state's sparsely populated eastern plains, offers dark, open skies well away from city lighting.
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 Montana nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in Montana to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over Montana
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 Montana.