Shooting star night
in Upper Austria.
Shooting stars in Upper Austria, shooting star night and the best places to stargaze
People have always been fascinated by the stars. We tell you all about the shooting star night in August, the darkest corners of Upper Austria, observatories and extraordinary offers for stargazers..
What happens on shooting star night?
Every year from 17 July to 24 August, the Perseids meteor shower passes by the Earth. At this time, hundreds of shooting stars can be seen with the naked eye on clear nights. The darker the observation site, the more shooting stars can be seen.
The peak of this breathtaking natural spectacle is on the night of 12 to 13 August, between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., the best observation time is between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.. However, numerous meteors can also be seen on the nights before and after.
In order to be well prepared for these nights, we recommend that you write a long wish list in good time.
Accommodations and holiday offers for stargazers
Experience luxurious comfort in the ‘apollo AchtQuartier’ boutique hotel with sophisticated rooms and suites right on the lake and savour delicious cuisine in the restaurant Aussichtsdeck or in the ‘Mondfleckerl’ pub.
The 3-storey chalets offer a clear view of the starry sky on the top floor, where you can dream of many small and large stars, nestled in the infinite galaxy with a direct view of the Milky Way.
In the Bubble TENT Hotel, you spend the night in a ‘soap bubble’ with a transparent roof and mostly transparent walls that convey a feeling of being close to nature. Inside, you can enjoy marvellous comfort and the best view of the stars at night.
The ‘Clam Live Lodge’ is located below the medieval Clam Castle, where the legendary Clam concerts take place. The lodge forms the centrepiece of the open-air site and normally serves as a backstage area for artists, bands and their crews, as a place to relax amidst a unique backdrop.
2 nights with breakfast at Lake Attersee, 1 picnic basket for a star picnic, 1 guided star park tour.
Attersee-Traunsee: Austria's first star park
The Attersee-Traunsee Nature Park is one of the darkest corners of the earth. The darkness of the natural night is intact in this region - in the centre of the Salzkammergut - so that the firmament is clearly visible. Light pollution is virtually non-existent here, thanks to numerous measures.
As a result, the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) named this region Austria's first certified star park region. This is the first time Austria has been included in the list of ‘Dark Sky Places’ - there are 150 star parks worldwide, 35 of which are in Europe.
The Attersee-Traunsee Star Park ensures that the impressive night landscape is preserved in the best possible way and thus makes a valuable contribution to a healthy habitat for humans and animals.
What is a star park?
Managing Director of the Nature Park and
Coordinator of the Attersee-Traunsee Star Park
The next celestial events
13 - 14 December 2024: Geminid shooting star night 2024
The shooting stars of the Geminids are visible every year from 4 to 20 December. During this time, the Earth passes through the orbit of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, causing small parts of the asteroid to burn up in the sky as shooting stars. The most shooting stars (up to 150 meteors per hour) are usually seen on 13 or 14 December.
21 - 22 December 2024: Ursid shooting star night 2024
The Ursids can be seen every year from 17 to 26 December. During this time, the Earth flies through the orbit of comet 8P/Tuttle, causing small parts of the comet to burn up in the sky as shooting stars. The most shooting stars (up to 10 shooting stars per hour) can be seen on the night of 21 to 22 December 2024.
Outlook for 2025: Totalities and fascinating constellations
The year 2025 will be a spectacular starry year with a partial solar eclipse, two total lunar eclipses and interesting occultations of stars and planets by the moon.
3 - 4 January 2025: Quadrantid Shooting Star Night 2025
The Quadrantids can be seen every year from the end of December to mid-January. During this time, the Earth passes through the orbit of the asteroid 2003 EH, whose small parts burn up in the sky as shooting stars. The most shooting stars (up to 110 shooting stars per hour) can usually be seen at the beginning of January, often only for a few hours. We expect the peak on the night of 3 to 4 January 2025.
22 - 23 April 2025: Lyrid Shooting Star Night 2025
The Lyrids can be seen every year from 16 to 25 April. During this time, the Earth crosses the orbit of comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), causing small parts of the comet to burn up in the sky as shooting stars. The most shooting stars (up to 18 shooting stars per hour) can be seen towards the end of the Lyrid shower, probably on the night of 22 to 23 April 2025.
5 - 6 May 2025: Eta Aquariid shooting star night 2025
The Eta Aquariids can be seen every year from 19 April to 28 May. During this time, the Earth crosses the orbit of Halley's Comet, causing small parts of the comet to burn up in the sky as shooting stars. The most shooting stars (up to 50 shooting stars per hour) can be seen on the night of 5 - 6 May 2025.