The night sky in Zermatt
In Zermatt, the brightness of the night sky is estimated at 21.5 mag/arcsec²: a rural sky. On a clear, moonless night the naked eye sees stars down to magnitude 6.4, about 2,520 stars above the horizon, and the Milky Way.
See the sky of Zermatt in 3D tonight
Where to find a darker sky
Within 70 km of Zermatt, the sky does not get much darker: you need to travel further from the cities.
Planets in October 2026
| Planet | When to see it | Direction | Brightness | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | not visible, too close to the Sun | — | -0.0 | Libra |
| Venus | not visible, too close to the Sun | — | -4.3 | Virgo |
| Mars | morning | southeast | 1.0 | Cancer |
| Jupiter | morning | east-southeast | -1.9 | Leo |
| Saturn | all night | south-southwest | 0.3 | Cetus |
Positions on the 15th of the month, an hour after sunset and an hour before sunrise. Brightness in magnitude: the smaller the number, the brighter the planet.
Next meteor showers
| Shower | Peak night | At best (ZHR) | Expected here | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draconids | Fri 9 October | 10 | ≈ 2 | 3 % |
| Orionids | Thu 22 October | 20 | ≈ 12 | 79 % |
| Northern Taurids | Fri 13 November | 5 | ≈ 4 | 11 % |
| Leonids | Wed 18 November | 15 | ≈ 8 | 55 % |
Expected here: meteors per hour under the city’s sky, with the radiant at its height at 3 a.m. (moonlight not counted).
Frequently asked questions
Can you see the Milky Way in Zermatt?
Yes: the sky of Zermatt is dark enough (21.5 mag/arcsec²) to see the Milky Way on a clear, moonless night, away from direct lights.
Which planets can you see in October 2026 from Zermatt?
Mars (morning, southeast), Jupiter (morning, southeast) and Saturn (all night, south).
How many stars can you see with the naked eye in Zermatt?
About 2,520 stars above the horizon on a clear, moonless night (down to magnitude 6.4), against nearly 3,000 under a perfectly dark sky.
Method: artificial sky brightness estimated from NASA night imagery (VIIRS Black Marble), with a propagation law calibrated on the World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness (Falchi et al. 2016): ±0.4 mag/arcsec². Stars: Hipparcos catalogue down to magnitude 6; naked-eye limit after Garstang. Planets: astronomy-engine. Meteor showers: International Meteor Organization.