Palos Preserves
Bright sky · Only the brightest stars
3 stays nearby →Hawthorn Woods, Illinois Dark Sky Community
A village of about 8,000 people some 40 miles northwest of Chicago, and the second International Dark Sky Community in Illinois, where the work is careful lighting at the edge of a big city.
- How dark?
- Bright sky · Only the brightest stars
- Food & town
- Lake Zurich · about 1 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Community · 2020
How dark is it, really?
Town and city glow hides all but the brightest stars and planets, and the Milky Way is not visible. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 7–9, an estimate.)
When should I go?
Pick a night when the moon is down. The next stretch of moonless evenings is Nov 6–12.
| Best nights | Moonlight | Worth staying up for |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 6–12 | None · darkest skies | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Leonids) |
| Dec 5–11 | None · darkest skies | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Geminids) |
| Jan 3–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | A sky full of stars, and a meteor shower peak (Quadrantids) |
More dark windows, through Oct 2027
| Best nights | Moonlight | Worth staying up for |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 1–8 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | A sky full of stars |
| Mar 2–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 1–8 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| May 1–7 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| May 31–Jun 6 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–7 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 31–Aug 7 | Crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core, and extra shooting stars (Southern Delta Aquariids and Perseids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 5 | Crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Sep 27–Oct 4 | Crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
Computed from public astronomical data for this location. Updated monthly. How it's computed
Milky Way season here: Late Feb to late Sep. Out of season until late Feb. In season now, through late Sep. Out of season until late Feb.
Meteor showers ahead: Leonids on Nov 17–18 (half moon, sets around midnight), Geminids on Dec 13–14 (thin crescent, sets early), Ursids on Dec 22–23 (full moon, up all night), and Quadrantids on Jan 3–4 (thin crescent, rises late)Lyrids on Apr 22–23 (bright moon for most of the night)Eta Aquariids on May 5–6 (none · darkest skies)Southern Delta Aquariids on Jul 30–31 (thin crescent, rises late)Perseids on Aug 12–13 (bright moon for most of the night).
Email me before the next dark window at Hawthorn Woods, Illinois.
About one email a month, a few days before the moon goes dark: the dates here, the moonlight, and what's worth staying up for. Unsubscribe in one click.
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What it's like
Hawthorn Woods is a residential village in Lake County, about 40 miles northwest of Chicago. It had 17 residents when it incorporated in 1958 and has about 8,000 now, and it has kept a good deal of open space and parkland along the way.
Set your expectations by the map. This is the Chicago region, and city glow is part of the sky here. What makes Hawthorn Woods a Dark Sky Community is the way it lights itself. In September 2019 the village adopted a municipal lighting ordinance meant to cut light pollution, save energy, protect the patterns of nocturnal wildlife, and keep people safe, using the right amount of light at the right time. In 2020 it became the second Dark Sky Community in Illinois, after Homer Glen.
When the designation came through, the village said it planned to offer night photography, stargazing classes, and movies under the stars, along with lessons in finding the constellations. Its Parks and Recreation pages and seasonal brochure list what's running now.
If you visit, plan around park hours. Community Park, the village's 30-acre signature park where Old McHenry Road meets Quentin Road, is open from sunrise to 8:30 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and from sunrise to sunset the rest of the year.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Lake Zurich, IL is about 1 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Mariano's Fresh Market, Walmart Supercenter, Aldi and 3 more), 9 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Shell, about 1 mi away. Nearest places to eat on the map: North Point Kitchen + Bar (under 1 mi, in Forest Lake, IL), Gilmer Road House (about 1 mi), and McDonald's (about 1 mi).
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
✓ Certification verified Sep 2026 against DarkSky International registry (Internet Archive capture) · darkness: Bortle 7–9, estimated · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Dark sky places near Hawthorn Woods, Illinois
For a trip with more than one dark night: the closest within 150 miles, nearest first. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Urban Night Sky Place Dark Sky Community Homer Glen, Illinois
Bright sky · Only the brightest stars
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Community Beverly Shores, Indiana
Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park
Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
3 stays nearby →