The Night Sky in Oregon
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in Oregon.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in Oregon comes on clear, moonless nights, and January, November and December give you the most of them to work with — about 15.1 hours of darkness at the December peak, computed from Oregon'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.
Oregon's stargazing conditions vary sharply from west to east. The Willamette Valley corridor, from Portland to Eugene, holds most of the state's population and enough haze and light pollution to wash out all but the brightest stars, while the high desert east of the Cascades is some of the driest, darkest terrain in the country. Once you're past the mountains, towns are small and far apart, public land is abundant, and clear nights are common, especially in summer and early fall. Elevation matters too -- many of the best viewing sites sit well above 4,000 feet, putting you above valley haze and closer to a truly dark sky.
Dark-sky places in Oregon
- Steens Mountain and the Alvord Desert — In remote Harney County in Oregon's southeast corner, the land rises from the Alvord Desert playa at about 4,200 feet to the Steens Mountain summit at 9,733 feet. The combination of extreme isolation, high elevation, and a wide-open desert horizon makes this one of the darkest places in the entire Lower 48.
- Crater Lake National Park — The caldera rim sits roughly 7,000 to 8,000 feet up, well above valley haze, and the park is far from any large city. Its remoteness and elevation give it some of the darkest skies in the Northwest, with occasional ranger-led night-sky programs in summer.
- John Day Fossil Beds National Monument area — Spanning Wheeler and Grant counties in east-central Oregon, the high desert surrounding the monument's three units (Sheep Rock, Painted Hills, and Clarno) has very little artificial light for many miles, making it worth a look after the daytime scenery.
- High-desert public land in south-central Oregon — Beyond these specific landmarks, the BLM and national forest land around Lake County towns like Lakeview sees very little light pollution. Any pull-off well away from Bend, Klamath Falls, or the coast in this part of the state is worth checking on a clear, moonless night.
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 Oregon nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in Oregon to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over Oregon
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 Oregon.