The core clears 10 degrees during full darkness on most nights from February to October. In January, November and December it's out of reach, either too close to the Sun or too low in the dark.
Core score by month
| Month | Core score | Best week | Moon-free core hours a night | Average cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | Core not visible | 0 | 61% |
| February | 3 | February 10 to 16 | 0.3 | 62% |
| March | 15 | March 10 to 16 | 1.5 | 61% |
| April | 25 | April 6 to 12 | 2.5 | 60% |
| May | 32 | May 3 to 9 | 3.5 | 64% |
| June | 42 | June 1 to 7 | 4.8 | 58% |
| July | 42 | July 1 to 7 | 4.5 | 58% |
| August | 32 | August 1 to 7 | 2.9 | 56% |
| September | 15 | September 1 to 7 | 1.3 | 52% |
| October | 4 | October 1 to 7 | 0.4 | 53% |
| November | 0 | Core not visible | 0 | 54% |
| December | 0 | Core not visible | 0 | 62% |
Times are for the best seven nights in each month. Moon-free means the moon is below the horizon. The core counts as visible above 10 degrees in full darkness, when the Sun is more than 18 degrees below the horizon.
The best nights in 2027
- May: May 7 is the best night. The core is above 10 degrees and the moon is down from 12:53 am to 4:23 am, with the moon 4% lit that night.
- June: June 4 is the best night. The core is above 10 degrees and the moon is down from 11:03 pm to 3:53 am, with the moon 0% lit that night.
- July: July 1 is the best night. The core is above 10 degrees and the moon is down from 10:43 pm to 3:23 am, with the moon 6% lit that night.
Clock times are Eastern time with daylight saving applied. The best nights fall around the new moon, so the dates shift by about 11 days each year.
About Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah runs along the Blue Ridge in Virginia, and Skyline Drive follows the crest for 105 miles. There are waterfalls, wildflower meadows and over 500 miles of trails, including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail. Black bears are common.
Many families lived in the hollows before the park was formed, and many were moved off the land when the state bought it. The park was authorized in 1926 and established in 1935. Much of the infrastructure was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Shenandoah National Park is a national park in Virginia. The National Park Service places its center at 38.49 degrees north and 78.47 degrees west, and the sky calculations on this page use that point. Visitor information, fees and alerts are on the park's own page. National Park Service (opens in a new tab).
How Shenandoah National Park compares
Its best monthly core score of 42 ranks 43 of 54 national park units that can see the core. The highest is Lassen Volcanic National Park at 86, and the lowest is Voyageurs National Park at 13. Cloud at Shenandoah National Park runs from 52% in September to 64% in May.
The score ranks months and parks. It isn't a forecast for any night, and it leaves out local weather, smoke and light from nearby towns. How the core score works.
How dark is the sky?
The Park Service models how much artificial light brightens the sky across the lower 48. At the point used for Shenandoah National Park, it puts the added glow at about 1.3 times the natural brightness of a moonless sky (a ratio of 1.29). That makes it 37th darkest of the 47 parks it covers. Lower is darker. This is a model, not a reading taken at the park, and it describes one point, so the edges of a large park can differ.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see the Milky Way at Shenandoah National Park?
May, June and July are the best months. The best week of 2027 is June 1 to 7.
Can you see the Milky Way at Shenandoah National Park all year?
The core clears 10 degrees during full darkness on most nights from February to October. In January, November and December it's out of reach, either too close to the Sun or too low in the dark.
How dark is the sky at Shenandoah National Park?
The Park Service models how much artificial light brightens the sky across the lower 48. At the point used for Shenandoah National Park, it puts the added glow at about 1.3 times the natural brightness of a moonless sky (a ratio of 1.29). That makes it 37th darkest of the 47 parks it covers. Lower is darker. This is a model, not a reading taken at the park, and it describes one point, so the edges of a large park can differ.
Does the moon matter at Shenandoah National Park?
Yes. A bright moon hides the Milky Way. The best night in June is June 4, when the moon is 0% lit and the core is above 10 degrees from 11:03 pm to 3:53 am.
