Night sky in the Red River Gorge
Perseids 2027: Peak Night August 12 to 13, and How to Beat the Moon
Updated October 22, 2026. The Perseid meteor shower peaks on the night of August 12 to 13, 2027, according to the American Meteor Society calendar.
Perseids 2027: Peak Night August 12 to 13, and How to Beat the Moon: The catch in 2027: a bright moon
The moon will be about 79% lit and waxing on peak night, and the American Meteor Society expects it to interfere a lot. Fainter meteors will wash out while it is up. Plan to watch after the moon sets, in the last dark hours before dawn, when the Perseids are usually at their best anyway.
Perseids 2027: Peak Night August 12 to 13, and How to Beat the Moon: Where to look
The meteors seem to come from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the northeast. You do not need to stare at Perseus. Lie back and take in as much open sky as you can, since meteors streak across every part of it.
Perseids 2027: Peak Night August 12 to 13, and How to Beat the Moon: Watching from the Gorge
The Red River Gorge is far from big city lights, which helps a lot on a moonlit year. Find a spot with a wide view of the sky away from porch lights, and give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust. The Perseids run for weeks around the peak, so the nights just before and after are worth a look too.
The Next Total Lunar Eclipse Over Kentucky: June 25 to 26, 2029
Updated October 22, 2026. The last total lunar eclipse visible from Kentucky was on March 3, 2026, according to NASA's eclipse tables. If you missed it, here is the next one.
The Next Total Lunar Eclipse Over Kentucky: June 25 to 26, 2029: June 25 to 26, 2029
The next total lunar eclipse you can see from the Red River Gorge happens on the night of June 25 to 26, 2029. Totality runs from about 10:31 PM to 12:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time, with the deepest point around 11:22 PM. That is about an hour and 42 minutes of red moon. Times come from EclipseWise.
The moon will be fairly low in the southeast, so pick a spot with an open view in that direction.
The Next Total Lunar Eclipse Over Kentucky: June 25 to 26, 2029: What about the eclipses before then?
There are total lunar eclipses on December 31, 2028 and December 20, 2029. The New Year's Eve 2028 eclipse can only be seen from Alaska and the far northwest, so it will not be visible from Kentucky. In 2027 there are only faint penumbral eclipses, where the moon dims slightly and does not turn red.
The Next Total Lunar Eclipse Over Kentucky: June 25 to 26, 2029: Why the moon turns red
During totality the moon sits in Earth's shadow. The only sunlight reaching it has passed through Earth's atmosphere, which filters out the blue and leaves a red or copper glow.
The Next Total Lunar Eclipse Over Kentucky: June 25 to 26, 2029: Plan ahead
A late June eclipse lands in warm weather, on a weeknight in 2029.
Planets Over the Gorge in 2027: Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn
Updated October 22, 2026. This post used to cover the February 2026 planet lineup, which has passed. Here are the planet dates worth planning around in 2027. Dates come from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
Planets Over the Gorge in 2027: Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn: January 3: Venus, the morning star
Venus reaches its greatest distance from the Sun in the morning sky. Look east before sunrise for the brightest point of light in the sky.
Planets Over the Gorge in 2027: Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn: February 11: Jupiter at opposition
At opposition a planet is opposite the Sun in our sky. It rises at sunset, stays up all night and is at its brightest for the year. Binoculars held steady will show Jupiter's four largest moons as tiny points in a line.
Planets Over the Gorge in 2027: Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn: February 19: Mars at opposition
A week later, Mars has its turn. Look for a bright orange point that is up all night.
Planets Over the Gorge in 2027: Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn: October 17: Saturn at opposition
Saturn reaches opposition on the evening of October 17, 2027, Eastern time. That lands the same week as peak fall color and close to Rocktoberfest season, so it is a good excuse for a clear-night walk after dinner.
Winter Solstice 2026: The Longest Night in the Gorge, December 21
The winter solstice arrives at 3:50 PM Eastern on Monday, December 21, 2026, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. That night is the longest of the year, which means the most hours of dark sky.
Winter Solstice 2026: The Longest Night in the Gorge, December 21: What to look for
Orion climbs in the east after dark, with its belt of three stars in a row. Above it you will find the Pleiades, a tight little cluster that looks like a tiny dipper. Later in the evening, Sirius rises below Orion and becomes the brightest star in the sky.
Winter Solstice 2026: The Longest Night in the Gorge, December 21: Make it a sky week
The solstice sits between two meteor showers. The Geminids peak the week before, on the night of December 13 to 14, and the Quadrantids peak on the night of January 3 to 4, 2027.
Winter Solstice 2026: The Longest Night in the Gorge, December 21: Dress for it
Average December lows near Stanton are about 28°F, according to NOAA's climate normals. Bring layers, a hat and something warm to sit on. Read our winter guide for road closures and what is open.
Geminids 2026: Peak Night December 13 to 14, With a Dark Sky
The Geminid meteor shower peaks on the night of December 13 to 14, 2026. The moon will be a thin crescent, only about 15% lit, so the sky stays dark. That makes this one of the best shower nights of the year. Dates come from the American Meteor Society.
Geminids 2026: Peak Night December 13 to 14, With a Dark Sky: Why the Geminids are different
Most meteor showers come from comets. The Geminids come from an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon. They tend to be bright and slower moving, and they are among the strongest showers of the year.
Geminids 2026: Peak Night December 13 to 14, With a Dark Sky: When to watch
The shower's radiant, in the constellation Gemini, rises in the evening, so the Geminids are one of the few showers worth watching before midnight. Activity builds through the night as Gemini climbs higher.
Geminids 2026: Peak Night December 13 to 14, With a Dark Sky: Dress for December
Average December lows near Stanton are about 28°F, according to NOAA's climate normals. Bring a sleeping bag or blankets and a reclining chair, and give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark.
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