Cherry Springs State Park
International Dark Sky Park
Cherry Springs State Park Campground (RV sites with electric)
Phenomena Atlas · Decade tracker
Meteor nights, planned a decade out.
Every August the Perseids return; the Moon decides whether the night is worth driving for. Eight major showers, ten years of USNO moon math, one grid — the emerald cells are the dark ones. Park a rig under a certified dark sky and look up.
Showers8
Years2026–35
Moonless peaks19
The decade grid
Eight showers. Ten years. One question: how dark?
Next peak: Perseids, Aug 12 — in 25 nights. Moon that night: 0% (moonless).
The night the grid was built for
Perseids, Aug 12–13, 2026 — a 0% moon.
The new Moon lands on the peak date itself (USNO), so the sky stays black all night — the darkest Perseid peak in this entire 10-year grid. NASA cites 50–100 meteors per hour under perfect conditions; real counts run lower, and clear skies are never guaranteed.
Same date, bonus phenomenon: that new Moon crosses the Sun. NASA: “A total solar eclipse will be visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal, while a partial eclipse will be visible in Europe, Africa, North America, the Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean.” For the US that means a partial eclipse before sunset where visible — certified solar viewers only — then the meteors own the dark.
In 25 nights
| Shower · peak night | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids≈ Jan 3 | 100% | 15%dark | 37% | 89% | 0%dark | 79% | 71% | 7%dark | 98% | 28% |
| Lyrids≈ Apr 22 | 35% | 96% | 4%dark | 60% | 72% | 1%dark | 92% | 47% | 22% | 100% |
| Eta Aquariids≈ May 5 | 86% | 1%dark | 88% | 47% | 9%dark | 97% | 17% | 45% | 95% | 6%dark |
| Perseids≈ Aug 12 | 0%dark | 82% | 57% | 10%dark | 99% | 25% | 34% | 94% | 3%dark | 67% |
| Orionids≈ Oct 21 | 78% | 61% | 17% | 99% | 30% | 33% | 89% | 2%dark | 63% | 74% |
| Leonids≈ Nov 16 | 43% | 92% | 0%dark | 83% | 66% | 5%dark | 100% | 23% | 27% | 98% |
| Geminids≈ Dec 13 | 19% | 100% | 7%dark | 60% | 88% | 1%dark | 89% | 49% | 8%dark | 97% |
| Ursids≈ Dec 21 | 92% | 35% | 30% | 99% | 13%dark | 58% | 78% | 0%dark | 82% | 49% |
Moonless · 0–15%Thin moon · 16–40%Bright moon · 41–75%Washed out · 76–100%
≈ nominal peak nights — real peaks drift about a day year to year; AMS publishes each season's exact calendar.
USNO Astronomical Applications API · retrieved July 17, 2026American Meteor Society — Meteor Shower Calendar
Moon illumination (fracillum) on each shower's nominal first peak night, computed for the geographic center of the contiguous US (39.83, -98.58, UTC-6).
The where layer
Certified darkness, with an RV base attached.
14 agency-cited certified dark-sky places across 8 states — every field guide names its nearest RV base.
Big Bend National Park
International Dark Sky Park
Rio Grande Village RV Park (within the park, full hookups)
Natural Bridges National Monument
International Dark Sky Park
Natural Bridges Campground (no hookups, but RV-accessible up to 26 ft)
Death Valley National Park
International Dark Sky Park
Furnace Creek RV Park (full hookups, inside the park)
Capitol Reef National Park
International Dark Sky Park
Capitol Reef RV Park (private, just outside the park in Torrey)
Great Basin National Park
International Dark Sky Park
Upper Lehman Creek Campground (RV-accessible sites, no hookups)
Bryce Canyon National Park
International Dark Sky Park
Ruby's Inn RV Park (just outside the park, full hookups)
Grand Canyon National Park
International Dark Sky Park
Trailer Village RV Park (inside the park, full hookups)
Joshua Tree National Park
International Dark Sky Park
Jumbo Rocks Campground (no hookups, RV-accessible) or private RV parks in Twentynine Palms
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
International Dark Sky Park
Chaco Culture Campground (no hookups, RV-accessible up to 30 ft)
Headlands International Dark Sky Park
International Dark Sky Park
Mackinaw City KOA (full hookups, a short drive away)
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
International Dark Sky Park
Borrego Springs RV Resort (full hookups)
Steinaker State Park
International Dark Sky Park
Steinaker State Park Campground (RV sites with electric and water)
Copper Breaks State Park
International Dark Sky Park
Copper Breaks State Park Campground (RV sites with electric and water)
Plan the dark night
Shower field guidesAll eight showers — rates, radiants, honest viewing tips.Dark-sky park guidesCertified places, best months, RV bases.Eclipse field guideThe long game — dates, paths, basecamps.Aurora BasecampThe other night-sky tracker — NOAA's live desk, linked.Campgrounds by stateAgency-cited basecamps with fees and booking windows.Phenomena AtlasEvery tracker and seasonal field guide we publish.
Meteor nights, answered
When do the Perseids peak in 2026?
The night of August 12–13, 2026, per NASA — and USNO puts the Moon at 0% that night (the new Moon falls on August 12 itself). It is the darkest Perseid peak in our 2026–2035 grid. NASA cites 50–100 meteors per hour under perfect conditions; typical dark-sky counts run nearer 25, and weather is never guaranteed.
Which years' Perseids are worth planning a trip around?
The moonless Perseid peaks in the 2026–2035 grid are 2026 (0% moon), 2029 (10% moon), 2034 (3% moon) — every other year carries meaningful moonlight at the peak. Illumination values are USNO-computed for each nominal peak night.
Do meteor shower peak dates change from year to year?
Slightly — real peak timing drifts by about a day year to year, which is why the grid uses each shower's nominal peak night and the American Meteor Society publishes the exact calendar each season. Check AMS for the season's night before you drive.
How many meteors will I actually see?
Fewer than the headline rates. Quoted rates are ideal-condition maxima under fully dark skies with the radiant overhead; moonlight, clouds, haze and any light pollution cut real counts sharply. That's exactly what the grid is for — it removes the one variable you can plan around: the Moon.
Where should I park the rig for a meteor night?
A certified dark-sky place. We keep field guides for 14 certified places across 8 states, each with its nearest RV base — Cherry Springs (PA) for the East, Big Bend (TX) and Death Valley (CA) for the Southwest. No telescope needed: recline, watch wide, give your eyes 20–30 minutes to dark-adapt.
What happens on August 12, 2026 besides the Perseids?
A solar eclipse — NASA lists totality for Greenland, Iceland and Spain, with a partial eclipse visible in North America. Where the partial phase is visible in the US it happens before sunset (use certified solar viewers), and then the same new Moon leaves the night black for the meteor peak.
Moon illumination values retrieved from the USNO Astronomical Applications API on July 17, 2026; peak nights per the NASA-cited shower registry. Rates are ideal-condition maxima — real counts vary and clear skies are never guaranteed. Grid refreshes when USNO data or the AMS calendar changes.