Dark Sky Odds

Stargazing at Eiweiler: when is the sky clear and dark?

March is the best month for stargazing at Eiweiler: on average 41 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 11% 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

International Dark Sky Community · Germany · DarkSky International

MarchBest month
241Clear moonless dark hours a year
11%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
January10%171819%
February17%2414716%
March24%4113231%
April21%279429%
May12%124925%
June0%1234%
July8%83224%
August17%208424%
September21%3111826%
October16%2715418%
November10%141748%
December12%1918810%

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 than11% of Europe’s land
Light pollutionstrong light pollution
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — Darkest spot we found23
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — at the official map point34
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — median across the area30
Darkest spot we found49.375, 6.908 (map) — within 3.0 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 202611.010%
9 December 20268–9 December 202611.712%
7 January 20277–8 January 202711.810%
6 February 20276–7 February 202710.717%
8 March 20277–8 March 20279.024%
6 April 20276–7 April 20277.021%
6 May 20275–6 May 20274.512%
4 June 20274–5 June 20270.70%
4 July 20273–4 July 20270.08%
2 August 20271–2 August 20273.817%
31 August 202731 August 2027 – 1 September 20276.517%
30 September 202729–30 September 20278.721%

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 202612%55%6.762°
Geminids *13–14 December 202623%20%10.574°
Geminids *14–15 December 202623%28%9.374°
Quadrantids3–4 January 20277%13%12.071°
Lyrids22–23 April 202750%95%1.374°
Eta Aquariids *5–6 May 202738%0%6.312°
Eta Aquariids *6–7 May 202733%1%6.213°
Perseids *12–13 August 202732%84%3.067°
Perseids *13–14 August 202732%90%2.268°
Orionids21–22 October 202728%58%3.057°
Leonids *17–18 November 202712%82%1.562°
Leonids *18–19 November 202712%73%2.862°
Geminids14–15 December 202723%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