Dark Sky Odds

Stargazing at Beskydy Dark Sky Park: when is the sky clear and dark?

March is the best month for stargazing at Beskydy Dark Sky Park: on average 36 clear, moonless hours of full darkness, and 24% of nights have at least two of them (ERA5, 2006–2025). The darkest spot we found there is darker than 55% 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

dark-sky park · Czechia

MarchBest month
256Clear moonless dark hours a year
55%darker than … of Europe’s land
24%Nights with ≥ 2 such hours (March)

Month by month

MonthNights with ≥ 2 such hoursClear moonless dark hoursMoonless dark hoursOf them clear
January12%1917511%
February14%2214715%
March24%3613227%
April21%279329%
May12%125024%
June0%0218%
July6%73122%
August22%278532%
September23%3411829%
October19%3615623%
November11%1717410%
December11%1818910%

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 than55% of Europe’s land
Light pollutiondark rural sky (darkest 20–50 %)
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — Darkest spot we found2.91
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — at the official map point3.57
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — median across the area4.23
Darkest spot we found49.375, 18.425 (map) — within 9.9 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 202610.811%
9 December 20268–9 December 202611.811%
7 January 20277–8 January 202711.712%
6 February 20276–7 February 202710.814%
8 March 20277–8 March 20279.024%
6 April 20276–7 April 20277.021%
6 May 20276–7 May 20274.312%
4 June 20274–5 June 20270.70%
4 July 20273–4 July 20270.06%
2 August 20271–2 August 20273.822%
31 August 202731 August 2027 – 1 September 20276.522%
30 September 202729–30 September 20278.723%

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 202618%55%6.762°
Geminids *13–14 December 202618%20%10.574°
Geminids *14–15 December 202615%28%9.374°
Quadrantids3–4 January 202713%13%12.072°
Lyrids22–23 April 202747%95%1.374°
Eta Aquariids *5–6 May 202725%0%6.313°
Eta Aquariids *6–7 May 202728%0%6.314°
Perseids *12–13 August 202745%84%3.268°
Perseids *13–14 August 202745%90%2.268°
Orionids21–22 October 202737%59%3.257°
Leonids *17–18 November 202718%82%1.562°
Leonids *18–19 November 202715%73%3.062°
Geminids14–15 December 202715%98%0.074°

* 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