2025 Dark SkyEvent Calendar

‍Rappahannock County Park

RCRFA will open the park a total of nine (9) evenings during2025 during which the public can come and observe the night skies (nominally once a month during the warmer months). These are listed below.  The ‘NewMoon’ dates have been chosen to provide dark moonless nights for observations.The “FULL Moon” date has been chosen to allow a nearly full moon to be observed above the trees in the park.

RLEP will provide a minimum of four (4) night skies event programs in 2025 to be scheduled on four of the nine evenings as indicated in blue text.  Proposed event dates and start times are shown.

1 day before New Moon:

1.     FreeObservation Evening:  Sat. Apr. 26(Sunset 7:59 pm)

2 days before FULL Moon:

2.    Dark SkyEvent:  Sat. May 10, 8:15 pm – (Sunset 8:12pm)

2 days before New Moon:

3.     FreeObservation Evening:  Sat. May 24,(Sunset 8:24 pm)

3 days after New Moon:

4.    Dark SkyEvent:  Sat. June 28, 8:45 pm – (Sunset8:40 pm)

2 days after New Moon:

5.     FreeObservation Evening:  Sat. July 26,(Sunset 8:27 pm)

1 day after New Moon:

6.    Dark SkyEvent:  Sat. Aug. 23, 8:00 pm – (Sunset 7:54pm)

1 day before New Moon:

7.    Dark SkyEvent:  Sat. Sept. 20, 7:15 pm – (Sunset 7:11pm)

3 days before New Moon:

8.    Free Observation Evening:  Sat. Oct. 18, (Sunset 6:29 pm)

4 days before New Moon:

9.    Free Observation Evening:  Sat. Nov. 15, (Sunset 4:58 pm)

Celestial Events

·      Total Lunar Eclipse: Friday March 14 (totality:5:09 UT – 7:30 UT, subtract 5 hours for Eastern time)

·      Partial Solar Eclipse in New England & northeasternCanada: Sat. March 29 (greatest %: 10:47 UT)

·      Lyrids Meteor Shower: April 22-23

·      Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower: May 6-7

·      Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower: July 28-29

·      Perseid Meteor Shower: Aug. 12-13

·      Orionids Meteor Shower: Oct. 21-22

·      Leonids Meteor Shower: Nov. 17-18

·      Geminid Meteor Shower: Dec. 13-14 (peak on Dec.13 to morning of 14th)

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