Dark Sky Odds

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

March is the best month for stargazing at Sark: on average 25 clear, moonless hours of full darkness, and 16% of nights have at least two of them (ERA5, 2006–2025). The darkest spot we found there is darker than 87% 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 · United Kingdom · DarkSky International

MarchBest month
174Clear moonless dark hours a year
87%darker than … of Europe’s land
16%Nights with ≥ 2 such hours (March)

Month by month

MonthNights with ≥ 2 such hoursClear moonless dark hoursMoonless dark hoursOf them clear
January8%141848%
February12%1514411%
March16%2513219%
April18%239225%
May12%125024%
June0%1234%
July7%73124%
August14%168519%
September15%2112117%
October12%1815412%
November6%91675%
December8%131827%

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 than87% of Europe’s land
Light pollutionvery dark (darkest 5–20 %)
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — Darkest spot we found0.33
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — at the official map point0.33
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — median across the area0.34
Darkest spot we found49.425, -2.358 (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 202611.06%
9 December 20268–9 December 202611.88%
7 January 20277–8 January 202711.78%
6 February 20276–7 February 202710.712%
8 March 20277–8 March 20279.216%
6 April 20276–7 April 20276.818%
6 May 20275–6 May 20274.312%
4 June 20274–5 June 20270.50%
4 July 20273–4 July 20270.07%
2 August 20271–2 August 20273.814%
31 August 202731 August 2027 – 1 September 20276.514%
30 September 202729–30 September 20278.815%

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 202612%20%10.374°
Geminids *14–15 December 202617%29%9.274°
Quadrantids3–4 January 202710%13%12.071°
Lyrids22–23 April 202742%95%1.374°
Eta Aquariids *5–6 May 202728%0%6.313°
Eta Aquariids *6–7 May 202723%1%6.313°
Perseids *12–13 August 202730%84%3.267°
Perseids *13–14 August 202725%90%2.068°
Orionids21–22 October 202717%58%3.257°
Leonids *17–18 November 202718%82%1.762°
Leonids *18–19 November 202725%72%3.062°
Geminids14–15 December 202717%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