One consistent piece of feedback we receive from our guests is that Getaway is the perfect place, far from the light pollution of the city, to see the stars and constellations. Here’s what you can look forward to seeing in the sky this month on your next escape to nature.
April 2023
Full Moon
On April 6th, we will be able to see a bright full moon illuminating the night sky. This moon was known by native tribes as the Pink Moon, named after some of the first spring flowers popping up in this new season.
Lyrids Meteor Shower
If you stay from April 16th-25th, keep your eyes on the night sky for a chance to capture the Lyrids Meteor Shower. This meteor shower will peak on the 22nd, and each meteor will leave bright dust trails behind that will last for several seconds, making them easier to spot.
New Moon
On April 20th, the sky will be at its darkest as the moon will be in it’s new phase. While the moon won’t be visible, the rest of the stars in the sky will be easier to spot—make sure to book around this time to practice spotting constellations.
March 2023
Regulus
On March 5th, while the moon is in it’s waxing gibbous phase, you’ll be able to spot the star Regulus, one of the brightest stars in the sky and one of those in the constellation of Leo, near the moon’s lower right quadrant.
Full Moon
On March 7th there will be a full moon—most easily visible in the morning around 8 AM on the East coast, and 5 AM on the West coast. This full moon is known by the Dakota tribe as the “Worm Moon” in reference to a kind of beetle larvae that crawls out of the trees this time of year.
Equinox
On March 20th, we will reach the equinox, the day when daylight evens out so we have an equal number of light hours as we do dark—and this is the official start of Spring.
February 2023
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
On February 1st, comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be the closest it’ll be to earth in it’s path—meaning it will be the brightest and easiest to see as well.
Full Moon
On February 5th, a full moon will light the sky through the night. This moon is known as a Snow Moon, as this time of year is typically when snowfall is heaviest during the year.
New Moon
If you escape to nature on February 20th, the moon will step aside allowing for more stars and galaxies to be visible in the sky.
January 2023
Quadrantids Meteor Shower
Keep your eyes peeled for the Quadrantids Meteor Shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour soaring through the skies at its peak. This meteor shower will be visible after midnight between January 1st-5th, but peaks on January 3rd and 4th. To spot the meteors, look first for the constellation Bootes.
Full Moon
On January 6th, a full moon will light the skies over Getaway. This full moon reaches it’s greatest illumination at 11:09 PM EST, so you can enjoy a long evening around the campfire and get a nice look at the moon before heading into your cabin for a great night’s sleep.
New Moon
On January 21st, the moon will reach it’s new moon phase, which means you won’t be able to see the moon, but you won’t have any light reflecting off the moon to obscure your view of constellations, stars and galaxies. This would be a great time to pull out a pair of binoculars or a telescope.
Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation.
January 30th is the best time to view Mercury as it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the sky. Look to the east just before sunrise to spot the gray planet.
December 2022
Mars in Opposition to The Sun
The first think you can look out for is Mars. Mars will be the closest it gets to Earth all month long, and since it is in Opposition to the Sun, Mars will be illuminated and easy to see and photograph each night. Look for it’s rust-orange color to confirm you’ve found it.
The Geminids Meteor Shower
For a real treat, look to the skies to catch The Geminids Meteor Shower between December 7th-17th. This annual meteor shower is one of the most popular in astronomy circles because it consists of up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour during its peak (between the night of December 13th and the morning of the 14th this year). The meteors appear in the sky near the constellation of Gemini, identified by first looking for Orion, which looks like a big hour glass. From there, Gemini is Northeast of Orion, in between the Taurus and Cancer constellations. This meteor shower is best viewed after midnight, so enjoy a slow evening chatting around the fire and take a peak into the sky before heading in for a great night’s sleep.
Looking for more wisdom from the stars? Check out our collaboration with The Cosmic Latte where their team outlined the best ways to spend your Getaway based on your moon sign.