Dark Sky Odds

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

March is the best month for stargazing at Hamra National Park: on average 30 clear, moonless hours of full darkness, and 20% of nights have at least two of them (ERA5, 2006–2025). The darkest spot we found there is darker than 95% 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 · Sweden

MarchBest month
181Clear moonless dark hours a year
95%darker than … of Europe’s land
20%Nights with ≥ 2 such hours (March)

Month by month

MonthNights with ≥ 2 such hoursClear moonless dark hoursMoonless dark hoursOf them clear
January14%2419113%
February18%2314316%
March20%3010928%
April7%72429%
May0%00—
June0%00—
July0%00—
August1%1716%
September14%188621%
October17%2414516%
November14%2317713%
December20%3020415%

No astronomical darkness (May, June, July): the Sun stays above −18° all night.

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 than95% of Europe’s land
Light pollutionamong the darkest 5 % of Europe
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — Darkest spot we found0.10
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — at the official map point0.11
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — median across the area0.11
Darkest spot we found61.742, 14.925 (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 202611.014%
9 December 20268–9 December 202612.520%
7 January 20277–8 January 202712.314%
6 February 20276–7 February 202710.718%
8 March 20277–8 March 20278.220%
6 April 20276–7 April 20273.87%
6 May 20275–6 May 20270.00%
4 June 20274–5 June 20270.00%
4 July 20273–4 July 20270.00%
2 August 20271–2 August 20270.01%
31 August 202731 August 2027 – 1 September 20272.81%
30 September 202729–30 September 20277.514%

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 202628%55%7.750°
Geminids *13–14 December 202632%20%12.261°
Geminids *14–15 December 202630%28%10.861°
Quadrantids3–4 January 202735%13%14.373°
Lyrids *22–23 April 202742%95%1.756°
Lyrids *23–24 April 202738%90%3.556°
Eta Aquariids *5–6 May 2027—0%0.0—
Eta Aquariids *6–7 May 2027—0%0.0—
Perseids *12–13 August 202727%84%2.558°
Perseids *13–14 August 202725%90%2.258°
Orionids21–22 October 202727%59%1.544°
Leonids *17–18 November 202728%82%0.250°
Leonids *18–19 November 202725%73%2.050°
Geminids14–15 December 202730%98%0.061°

* 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