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Worth the Look

The High Country has some of the darkest skies in the East. Here's what's worth stepping outside and looking up for: meteor showers, full moons, eclipses, and the occasional aurora watch. We flag the nights the sky is actually worth a look, and tell you where to aim.

Celestial calendar · updated Oct 23, 4:17 PM ET

Oct 2026

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Mon, Oct 26

Full moon · rises at sunset, up all night

Full Moon — the Hunter's Moon

The Hunter's Moon rises around sunset and is up all night. Beautiful to look at, but its glare washes out the Milky Way and meteors, so it's a night for the moon itself, not faint stuff.

Nov 2026

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Tue, Nov 17

Meteor shower · the hours before dawn

Leonids meteor shower

~15/hr, famously fast. Look toward the east the hours before dawn. Moon that night: 46% lit, a half-lit moon, so the dimmest streaks hide.

more about this →

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Tue, Nov 24

Full moon · rises at sunset, up all night

Full Moon — the Beaver Moon

The Beaver Moon rises around sunset and is up all night. Beautiful to look at, but its glare washes out the Milky Way and meteors, so it's a night for the moon itself, not faint stuff.

Dec 2026

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Mon, Dec 14

Meteor shower · all evening

Geminids meteor shower

~120/hr, the best shower of the year. Look toward nearly overhead all evening. Moon that night: 22% lit, dark skies, ideal.

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Tue, Dec 22

Meteor shower · before dawn

Ursids meteor shower

~10/hr, a quiet holiday shower. Look toward the north before dawn. Moon that night: 93% lit, a bright moon washes out the faint ones.

more about this →

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Wed, Dec 23

Full moon · rises at sunset, up all night

Full Moon — the Cold Moon

The Cold Moon rises around sunset and is up all night. Beautiful to look at, but its glare washes out the Milky Way and meteors, so it's a night for the moon itself, not faint stuff.

Jan 2027

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Sun, Jan 3

Meteor shower · after midnight

Quadrantids meteor shower

Up to ~40/hr in a short, sharp peak. Look toward the northeast after midnight. Moon that night: 27% lit, a half-lit moon, so the dimmest streaks hide.

more about this →

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Fri, Jan 22

Full moon · rises at sunset, up all night

Full Moon — the Wolf Moon

The Wolf Moon rises around sunset and is up all night. Beautiful to look at, but its glare washes out the Milky Way and meteors, so it's a night for the moon itself, not faint stuff.

Feb 2027

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Sat, Feb 20

Full moon · rises at sunset, up all night

Full Moon — the Snow Moon

The Snow Moon rises around sunset and is up all night. Beautiful to look at, but its glare washes out the Milky Way and meteors, so it's a night for the moon itself, not faint stuff.

Meteor showers, moon phases, and aurora watches are computed from published astronomical data and NOAA space-weather forecasts. Aurora this far south is rare and never guaranteed. Skies change fast, so always step out and see for yourself.