Homer Glen, Illinois
Bright sky · Only the brightest stars
3 stays nearby →Palos Preserves Urban Night Sky Place
- How dark?
- Bright sky · Only the brightest stars
- Entry
- Closes by sunset; programs or camping
- Food & town
- Hickory Hills · about 2 mi
- Certified
- Urban Night Sky Place · 2021
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 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core |
| May 1–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| May 31–Jun 6 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–7 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 31–Aug 6 | None · darkest skies | 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 3 | None · darkest skies | 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 early Oct. Out of season until late Feb. In season now, through early Oct. 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 Palos Preserves.
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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Getting in after dark
Locations in the Palos Preserves close by sunset; to enjoy the night, join an astronomy program or camp at Camp Bullfrog Lake.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Hickory Hills, IL is about 2 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Fairplay Foods, Jewel-Osco), 6 gas stations, and 16 places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Citgo, about 2 mi away in Willow Springs, IL. Nearest places to eat on the map: Jen's Guesthouse (about 1 mi, in Willow Springs, IL), Nino's Italian Beef and Hotdogs (about 2 mi, in Willow Springs, IL), and Ashbary Coffee House (about 2 mi, in Willow Springs, IL).
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
✓ Certification verified Jun 2026 against DarkSky International registry (Internet Archive capture) · after-dark access from Forest Preserves of Cook County (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 7–9, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Palos Preserves
For a trip with more than one dark night: the closest within 150 miles, nearest first. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
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