The Night Sky in West Virginia
This year's meteor showers, moon phases, and the darkest places to watch from in West Virginia.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
The best stargazing in West Virginia comes on clear, moonless nights, and January, November and December give you the most of them to work with — about 14.5 hours of darkness at the December peak, computed from West Virginia'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.
West Virginia's mountainous, sparsely populated terrain — especially across the eastern Potomac Highlands — makes it one of the better stargazing states east of the Mississippi. Much of the state sits far from major metro light domes, and its highest, most remote elevations offer some of the clearest views of the Milky Way in the region. Fall and winter tend to bring the driest, crispest air for viewing, while summer humidity and haze can work against visibility. Because the terrain is rugged, many of the best spots require a short hike or drive away from even small towns to fully escape ambient light.
Dark-sky places in West Virginia
- Spruce Knob (Monongahela National Forest) — West Virginia's highest point, at 4,863 feet, rises well above most regional light domes and offers wide-open, unobstructed sky views on clear nights.
- Dolly Sods Wilderness — This high, open plateau in the Allegheny Mountains draws night-sky photographers for its broad horizons and near-total absence of nearby artificial light.
- Green Bank area, Pocahontas County (National Radio Quiet Zone) — Strict radio-emission limits around the Green Bank Observatory go hand in hand with very low population density, making this one of the darkest and quietest corners of the eastern U.S. for stargazing.
- Watoga State Park — West Virginia's largest state park spans thousands of forested acres in the remote Potomac Highlands region, far from any significant town 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 West Virginia nights are worth the drive
The year's meteor peaks with the moon already worked out, and the darkest places in West Virginia to watch them from.
The complete The Night Sky over West Virginia
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 West Virginia.