The Night Sky in New Jersey
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in New Jersey.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in New Jersey comes on clear, moonless nights, and January, November and December give you the most of them to work with — about 14.7 hours of darkness at the December peak, computed from New Jersey'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.
New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country, and the light domes of New York City and Philadelphia wash out much of the sky across its northern and central corridor. Genuinely dark conditions survive only in a handful of rural pockets, mainly the sparsely developed forests of the south and the hillier terrain along the northwestern border. Even the best of these spots offer rural-to-suburban skies rather than the deep darkness found out west, but on a clear, moonless night they still reveal far more stars — and often a hint of the Milky Way — than any city or suburban sky in the state ever shows.
Dark-sky places in New Jersey
- Wharton State Forest — New Jersey's largest single tract of protected land, set deep in the Pine Barrens of the south-central part of the state. Miles of unbroken pine-oak forest and very few nearby towns make it the darkest and most consistent stargazing destination in New Jersey.
- Belleplain State Forest — Set inland from the Jersey Shore in rural Cape May and Cumberland counties, this forest sits far enough from the coast's boardwalk towns and casino lights to offer noticeably darker skies than the shore itself.
- High Point State Park — Home to the highest elevation in New Jersey, tucked into the state's rural northwestern corner. Open ridge-top views and distance from the major metro areas make it one of the better spots in the north for watching the night sky.
- Jenny Jump State Forest — A wooded hilltop forest in Warren County that hosts a volunteer-run public observatory, drawing local astronomy clubs for stargazing nights well away from the interstate corridors.
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 New Jersey nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in New Jersey to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over New Jersey
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 New Jersey.