The Night Sky in Washington
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in Washington.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in Washington comes on clear, moonless nights, and January, November and December give you the most of them to work with — about 15.5 hours of darkness at the December peak, computed from Washington'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's stargazing conditions vary sharply from west to east: the heavily populated, cloud-prone Puget Sound corridor around Seattle and Tacoma carries significant light pollution and a marine layer that keeps skies overcast for much of the year, while the drier interior east of the Cascade crest sees far more clear nights and much less artificial light. The best viewing tends to fall in late summer and early fall, after wildfire smoke has cleared but before the winter rains return. Elevation helps as well, since high viewpoints and mountain passes often rise above valley haze and low cloud decks. On a clear night away from the Interstate 5 corridor, the state's public lands can offer noticeably dark skies within a few hours' drive of any major city.
Dark-sky places in Washington
- North Cascades National Park — One of the least-visited national parks in the country, with vast roadless wilderness and almost no artificial light nearby; campgrounds and trailheads along the North Cascades Highway offer some of the darkest skies in the state on clear nights.
- Olympic National Park — The park's remote ocean beaches and forested valleys sit far from any city, and high viewpoints such as Hurricane Ridge often rise above the coastal cloud layer for extra clarity on a clear night.
- Colville National Forest — Washington's northeasternmost national forest covers a large, thinly populated stretch of the state near the Canadian border, with little nearby development to wash out the sky.
- Rural areas east of the Cascades — The dry, open country from the Okanogan highlands to the Blue Mountains has a fraction of the population density of western Washington; state parks and forest roads throughout this region make good impromptu viewing spots away from town lights.
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 nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in Washington to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over Washington
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 Washington.