2024 Stargazing Guide and Astronomical Calendar

Planet sightings, supermoons, eclipses, and meteor showers—stargazing is arguably one of the best parts of spending time outside on an overnight camping trip. This is especially true after a long day of exploring, when you can take the time to lay out for an evening under the dark night sky. Whether you’re big into astrophotography or just like to take the time to feel small in our big universe, use this 2024 dark sky calendar and our dark skies map to plan your next night under the stars.

Emoji Key
🌑: New moon | 🌕: Full moon | ☄️: Meteor shower | 🪐: Planet sighting | 🔴 : Solar or lunar eclipse

January

☄️ Wed. & Thurs. January 3–4 | Quadrantid Meteor Shower: This above-average meteor shower can showcase up to 80 meteors per hour during its short peak. This year, the Quadrantids peak on the night of the third, with the best viewing after midnight in the Northern Hemisphere—although winter weather may leave you clouded out. Stargazers should camp out in a dark spot to avoid light pollution and be patient!

🌑 Thurs. January 11 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Orion, Taurus and Pleiades, Lepus
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Dorado, Pictor, Reticulum

🪐 Fri. January 12 | One of the best times to view Mercury: Known as the time when Mercury will be at its “greatest western elongation,” this is one of the best times to get a good look at this planet all year! You should be able to see it low in the sky right before sunrise.

🌕 Thurs. January 25 | Full Moon (aka the Wolf Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from our point of view. It might be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

Photo by Natalia Martinez

February

🌑 Fri. February 9 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Gemini, Auriga, Monoceros
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Orion, Sirius within Canis Major, Puppis

🌕 Sat. February 24 | Full Moon (aka the Snow Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

March

🌑 Sun. March 10 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe bright stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Ursa Major and the Big Dipper, Cancer
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Volans, Carina, Vela

🌷🍂 Wed. March 20 | March Equinox: In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the first day of spring, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the first day of fall.

🪐 Sun. March 24 | One of the best times to view Mercury: Known as the time when Mercury will be at its “greatest eastern elongation,” this is one of the best times to get a good look at this planet all year! You should be able to see it low in the sky just after sunset.

🌕 Mon. March 25 | Full Moon (aka the Worm Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

🔴 Mon. March 25 | Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: March’s full moon will be a bit dim due to the penumbral lunar eclipse, which occurs when the moon passes through the earth’s penumbra (partial shadow). This means that for 4 hours and 39 minutes, the moon will be 95.6% in this shadow, darkening slightly. It will be barely noticeable and nearly impossible to see with the naked eye, but most of Australia (aside from Western Australia) can try to spot it at moonrise, while the UK may see it at moonset. The penumbral lunar eclipse is happening in North America, too.

Photo by Brendan Simpson

April

April is Global Astronomy Month, and April 2–8 is International Dark Sky Week!

🔴 Mon. April 8 | Total Solar Eclipse in North America: This is the big one—the moon will pass in front of the sun for a total solar eclipse on the afternoon of April 8, and the best part is that it will be visible from much of North America (with eclipse glasses, of course). Check out our interactive eclipse map to find your campsite in or near the path—even parts of the country outside of the eclipse path will get treated to a partial eclipse. Texas will offer the longest eclipse time and the best chance at clear weather, but know that campsites are booking up fast.

🌑 Mon. April 8 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe bright stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Ursa Major, Leo, Leo’s Minor
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Chameleon, Hydra, Sextans

☄️ Sun.–Tues. April 21–23 | Lyrid Meteor Shower: This year has been light on meteor showers, but now we’re gearing up for two shows in two weeks! Producing 20 shooting stars per hour, the Lyrids are unique thanks to easier-to-spot meteors that leave long dust trails lasting several seconds. Unfortunately, this one coincides with the full moon, which will make the meteors hard to spot.

🌕 Tues. April 23 | Full Moon (aka the Pink Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

Photo by Hipcamp Photographer Kate Bennett

May

☄️ Sun.–Tues. May 5–7 | Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower: Producing up to 50 meteors per hour at its peak, the Eta Aquarids are typically one of this year’s best showers. This week’s new moon will make the show even better with especially dark skies—it’s worth escaping the city for this one. The shooting stars are produced by dust particles from Halley’s Comet. This meteor shower will be especially good in Australia.

🌑 Wed. May 8 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe the brightest stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Virgo 
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Virgo, Musca, Centaurus

🪐 Thurs. May 9 | One of the best times to view Mercury: Known as the time when Mercury will be at its “greatest western elongation,” this is one of the best times to get a good look at this planet all year! You should be able to see it low in the sky right before sunrise.

🌕 Thurs. May 23 | Full Moon (aka the Flower Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

Photo by Michelle Park

June

🌑 Thurs. June 6 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Sagittarius, Hercules, Draco
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Scorpius, Ara, Ophiuchus

☀️❄️ Thurs. June 20 | June Solstice: In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the longest day of the year and the start of summer, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the shortest day of the year and the start of winter. This is due to the North Pole tilting away from the sun, and the South Pole tilting toward it.

🌕 Sat. June 22 | Full Moon (aka the Strawberry Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

July

🌑 Fri. July 5 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for a 4th of July camping trip out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Lyra, Sagitta, Aquila
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Sagittarius, Corona Australis, Pavo

🌕 Sun. July 21 | Full Moon (aka the Buck Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

🪐 Mon. July 22 | One of the best times to view Mercury: Known as the time when Mercury will be at its “greatest eastern elongation,” this is one of the best times to get a good look at this planet all year! You should be able to see it low in the sky just after sunset.

☄️ Mon.–Wed. July 29–31 | Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower: The Delta Aquarids are fairly average, and conditions this year will be less than ideal given the peak’s timing during a 40% full moon. Try your luck in a dark-sky location after midnight. Find Hipcamps under dark skies.

Photo by Ezequiel Gonzalez

August

🌑 Sun. August 4 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Delphinus, Vulpecula, Cygnus
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Capricornus, Indus, Microscopium

☄️ Mon. & Tues. Aug 12-13 | Perseid Meteor Shower: The Perseids are one of the best meteor showers of the year, especially in the Northern Hempisphere! Amateur astronomers should wait until the moon sets around midnight for the best shot at spotting up to 100 shooting stars per hour (that’s multiple per minute!) during this show. Before midnight, the half-full moon will make it harder to see the shooting stars. Find Hipcamps under dark skies.

🌕 Mon. August 19 | Full Moon (aka the Sturgeon Moon), Blue Moon: A “blue moon” typically refers to the second full moon in a calendar month (as in, “once in a blue moon…”), but this blue moon gets its name because it is the third full moon in a season with four full moons. This only happens every 2.5 years, but sadly, the moon will not actually be blue. The more you know!

Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

Photo by Rachel Veale

September

🌑 Tues. September 3 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Pegasus, Lacerta
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Aquarius, Grus, Piscis Austrinus

🪐 Thurs. September 5 | One of the best times to view Mercury: Known as the time when Mercury will be at its “greatest western elongation,” this is one of the best times to get a good look at this planet all year! You should be able to see it low in the sky right before sunrise.

🪐Sun. September 8 | Best time to view Saturn: When Saturn is in opposition, it’s at its closest to Earth and its very brightest, visible all night. You’ll be able to see it as a yellow dot with your naked eye, but a telescope is required to see its rings.

🔴 Night of Tues. September 17 | Partial Lunar Eclipse: A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the earth’s penumbra (partial shadow), and only a portion of it passes through the umbra (darkest shadow). This means that for about an hour, part of the full moon will go dark as it passes through the earth’s shadow. All of North America and the UK will see it—US East Coasters should look up starting at 10:12pm ET before the peak at 10:44pm ET.

🌕 Wed. September 18 | Full Moon (aka the Harvest Moon), Supermoon: This supermoon will appear slightly larger in the sky—and it’s the first of 2024’s three supermoons. Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

🍂🌷 Sun. September 22 | September Equinox: In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the first day of fall, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the first day of spring.

October

🌑 Wed. October 2 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Pisces, Cassiopeia, Cepheus
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Phoenix, Tucana, Sculptor

☄️ Mon.–Wed. October 7–9 | Draconid Meteor Shower: October sees two meteor showers, the first being the Draconids. Head out in the early evening, and hope for a cloudless sky to see this minor shower. Expect only up to 10 meteors per hour.

🌕 Thurs. October 17 | Full Moon (aka the Hunter’s Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

☄️ Sun.–Tues. October 20–22 | Orionid Meteor Shower: The second meteor shower in October and the better of the two (though still just average at 20 meteors an hour), the Orionids appear due to debris left by Halley’s Comet, just as is the case with the Eta Aquarids in May. It’s said that the Orionids are best seen near the Orion constellation, though this year, the nearly full moon may put a damper on the light show. Head out after midnight for your best shot.

Photo by Kat Wagner

November

🌑 Fri. November 1 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Aries, Perseus
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Horologium, Eridanus

☄️ Mon.-Tues. Nov 4-5 | Taurid Meteor Shower: Producing up to 10 meteors per hour, this is only a minor meteor shower but still a great reason to find yourself outside under the stars. The new moon will also help the meteors stand out! Search for Hipcamps under dark skies.

🌕 Fri. November 15 | Full Moon (aka the Beaver Moon), Supermoon: This supermoon will appear slightly larger in the sky. Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

🪐 Sat. November 16 | One of the best times to view Mercury: Known as the time when Mercury will be at its “greatest eastern elongation,” this is one of the best times to get a good look at this planet all year! You should be able to see it low in the sky just after sunset.

☄️ Sat.-Mon. November 16–18 | Leonid Meteor Shower: The Leonids typically produce up to 20 meteors per hour. During this weekend peak, visibility will be disappointingly low due to the moon, but those in the Southern Hemisphere have a better shot at clear weather. Be patient!

December

🌑 Sun. December 1 | New Moon: The first phase of the lunar calendar, new moons occur when the sun and moon are aligned. The moon is therefore invisible from Earth, creating the darkest sky of the month—perfect for camping trips out to observe stars and see the Milky Way. Read our guide to stargazing and find Hipcamps under dark skies.

  • Northern Hemisphere constellations to see: Ursa Minor, Ursa Major
  • Southern Hemisphere constellations to see: Taurus, Orion

☄️ Thurs. & Fri. December 13–14 | Geminid Meteor Shower: Producing up to 120 meteors per hour at its peak, the Geminids are one of the strongest meteor showers to see all year. Unfortunately for 2024, the shower peaks during a bright full moon, dimming most meteors you’d otherwise see. Despite these less than perfect conditions, you’ll still have a shot at spotting some shooting stars with a bit of patience after midnight.

🌕 Sun. December 15 | Full Moon (aka the Cold Moon): Full moons occur when Earth is located between the sun and moon, making the moon appear fully illuminated from Earth. It can be more difficult to see constellations with a bright full moon, but it does make for great moonlit hikes and family camping trips.

❄️☀️ Sat. December 21 | December Solstice: In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the shortest day of the year and the start of winter, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the longest day of the year and the kickoff to summer. This is due to the North Pole tilting away from the sun, and the South Pole tilting toward it.

☄️ Sat. & Sun. December 21–22 | Ursid Meteor Shower: Producing 5 to 10 meteors per hour, the Ursids are a fairly minor showing, and the half-full moon phase isn’t great for spotting them. Even still, visiting a dark sky spot and looking up after sunset until moonrise will give you the best chance of seeing the last shower of the year.

Start planning your next adventure by booking one of the best campsites for stargazing in time for a celestial event.

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