Dark Sky Odds

Stargazing at Llogara National Park: when is the sky clear and dark?

August is the best month for stargazing at Llogara National Park: on average 86 clear, moonless hours of full darkness, and 58% of nights have at least two of them (ERA5, 2006–2025). The darkest spot we found there is darker than 45% of Europe’s land (NASA VIIRS 2025).

Data updated: 31 December 2025 · Sources and licences

Calculated 5 November 2026 · cloud cover ERA5 2006–2025 · night lights NASA VIIRS 2025

national park · Albania

AugustBest month
665Clear moonless dark hours a year
45%darker than … of Europe’s land
58%Nights with ≥ 2 such hours (August)

Month by month

MonthNights with ≥ 2 such hoursClear moonless dark hoursMoonless dark hoursOf them clear
January26%4217224%
February28%4515030%
March29%4613934%
April32%4411239%
May32%409243%
June40%477661%
July58%748587%
August58%8611177%
September41%6512950%
October37%6215839%
November32%5716634%
December31%5818631%

Climate, not a forecast: these are shares of past nights (ERA5 reanalysis, 2006–2025), not a prediction for a particular night. Check a forecast before you go.

Light pollution

Darker than45% of Europe’s land
Light pollutionnoticeable light glow
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — Darkest spot we found4.68
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — at the official map point5.99
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — median across the area5.67
Darkest spot we found40.208, 19.558 (map) — within 2.0 km of the Wikidata point (no OSM boundary)

Next new moons

New moonNightMoonless dark hours that nightTypical share of good nights that month
9 November 20268–9 November 202610.732%
9 December 20268–9 December 202611.331%
7 January 20277–8 January 202711.326%
6 February 20276–7 February 202710.728%
8 March 20277–8 March 20279.529%
6 April 20276–7 April 20278.032%
6 May 20276–7 May 20276.332%
4 June 20274–5 June 20275.240%
4 July 20273–4 July 20275.058%
2 August 20271–2 August 20276.258%
31 August 202731 August 2027 – 1 September 20277.758%
30 September 202729–30 September 20279.241%

Hours with the Sun below −18° and the Moon below the horizon, on the night of the new moon, at the darkest spot.

Meteor showers

ShowerPeak nightChance of a clear peak nightMoon litMoonless dark hours (Sun < −12°)Radiant max. height
Leonids17–18 November 202645%55%6.070°
Geminids *13–14 December 202643%20%9.883°
Geminids *14–15 December 202643%28%8.783°
Quadrantids3–4 January 202747%13%11.066°
Lyrids22–23 April 202747%95%1.084°
Eta Aquariids *5–6 May 202758%0%7.722°
Eta Aquariids *6–7 May 202760%0%7.723°
Perseids *12–13 August 202785%84%3.065°
Perseids *13–14 August 202785%90%2.066°
Orionids21–22 October 202752%59%3.766°
Leonids *17–18 November 202745%82%2.070°
Leonids *18–19 November 202745%73%3.270°
Geminids14–15 December 202743%98%0.083°

* The peak falls in daylight in Europe, so both neighbouring nights are shown.

Clear peak night: at least 2 hours with ≤ 20 % cloud while the Sun is below −12°, on the same calendar night ± 1 in 2006–2025.

How we calculate