Search for a municipality to fly there, see its profile (IGN timings, weather, horizon silhouette) and open the sky viewer. Add up to 4 points to the comparator.
Observing tip: don't stare straight at the radiant — trails look longer and more numerous 40°-60° off to one side.
Other major showers this year
| Shower | Peak | ZHR |
|---|---|---|
| Geminids | 14 Dec 2026 | 150 |
| Quadrantids | 3 Jan 2026 | 120 |
| Eta Aquariids | 5/6 May 2026 | 50 |
| Delta Aquariids | 30 Jul 2026 | 25 |
The galactic core is visible from late February to late September, with the best window from late March to late August, in the early hours (00:00-05:00). Its position shifts through the year: southeast in spring (February-May), south in midsummer (June-August), and southwest in autumn (September-October).
Moon illumination under 30% (or below the horizon) and a dark sky, away from city skyglow. With more moonlight or more light pollution, the core gets masked before disappearing entirely.
The "Dark sky" map layer (VIIRS night radiance, up in the rail) is already active by default in this mode — it's your best clue to how dark the sky really is at any given point.
See the full Milky Way guide →