Dark Sky Odds

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

August is the best month for stargazing at Teide National Park: on average 89 clear, moonless hours of full darkness, and 56% of nights have at least two of them (ERA5, 2006–2025). The darkest spot we found there is darker than 47% 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 · Spain

AugustBest month
771Clear moonless dark hours a year
47%darker than … of Europe’s land
56%Nights with ≥ 2 such hours (August)

Month by month

MonthNights with ≥ 2 such hoursClear moonless dark hoursMoonless dark hoursOf them clear
January37%6516739%
February40%6014243%
March37%5914740%
April41%5913145%
May41%5611051%
June48%6410760%
July61%8811279%
August56%8913168%
September43%6513847%
October34%5215334%
November30%4916730%
December36%6417237%

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 than47% of Europe’s land
Light pollutionnoticeable light glow
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — Darkest spot we found4.14
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — at the official map point4.41
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — median across the area4.62
Darkest spot we found28.258, -16.642 (map) — within the OSM boundary

Next new moons

New moonNightMoonless dark hours that nightTypical share of good nights that month
9 November 20268–9 November 202610.530%
9 December 20268–9 December 202610.836%
7 January 20277–8 January 202710.837%
6 February 20276–7 February 202710.340%
8 March 20277–8 March 20279.737%
6 April 20276–7 April 20278.841%
6 May 20275–6 May 20277.841%
4 June 20274–5 June 20277.048%
4 July 20273–4 July 20277.061%
2 August 20271–2 August 20277.756%
31 August 202731 August 2027 – 1 September 20278.756%
30 September 202729–30 September 20279.543%

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 202653%56%5.576°
Geminids *13–14 December 202662%21%8.885°
Geminids *14–15 December 202663%29%8.085°
Quadrantids3–4 January 202767%13%10.254°
Lyrids22–23 April 202763%95%1.284°
Eta Aquariids *5–6 May 202770%0%8.833°
Eta Aquariids *6–7 May 202767%1%8.834°
Perseids *12–13 August 202778%84%2.858°
Perseids *13–14 August 202782%91%1.858°
Orionids21–22 October 202752%58%4.278°
Leonids17–18 November 202753%82%2.576°
Geminids14–15 December 202763%97%0.285°

* 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