Stargazing in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO (2026)

🌠 Perseids 2026 — a rare moonless peak. The shower peaks overnight Aug 12 into pre-dawn Aug 13 on a new moon, so the sky stays fully dark all night — the best Perseid conditions in years. Best rates are 2–5 AM local; just look up (meteors appear all over the sky). Before you go: Open 24 hours year-round (NPS, updated Nov 13, 2025); the park does not close and night-sky viewing is allowed at all hours. From these skies, expect roughly 60–80 meteors an hour under clear conditions — not the '100 per hour' quoted elsewhere. Full Perseids 2026 guide →

🌠 Geminids 2026 — the year's strongest shower, on a dark-sky night. Peaking overnight Dec 13 into the morning of Dec 14, on a thin waxing crescent moon that sets early evening, so the sky stays dark for the whole night. Good activity starts as early as 9–10 PM local — earlier than most showers — and climbs to a peak around 1–2 AM. Unlike almost every other shower, the Geminids come from an asteroid (3200 Phaethon, not a comet), producing slower, more colorful, easier-to-track streaks. Before you go: Open 24 hours year-round (NPS, updated Nov 13, 2025); the park does not close and night-sky viewing is allowed at all hours. From these skies, expect roughly 40–60 meteors an hour under clear conditions, outpacing even the Perseids. Dress for winter — it's a cold-weather shower. Full Geminids 2026 guide →