Live Sky Report
What Can I See in the Sky Tonight in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria?
Waning Crescent moon at 14%, Mars shines at magnitude 0.8. Calculated for 42.70°, 23.32° (Europe/Sofia).
Visible planets tonight
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus — brightest: Mars at mag 0.8 in Leo
🔭 Tonight's Sky Report
📍 Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria — Thursday, November 5
Weather observed: 2:00 PM UTC · Space weather observed: 9:00 AM UTC
Tonight's sky above Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria
Above Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria tonight, the sky is a live system: the Moon's illumination, which planets have cleared the horizon, and whether Earth's magnetosphere is quiet or churning all change hour by hour.
Local sky character in Sofia
Northern mid-latitudes · northern hemisphere · 562 m elevation
- The north celestial pole stands 42.7° above the horizon, so stars within 43° of it never set from here.
- About 83.9% of the whole sky rises above the horizon at some point in the year from this latitude.
- The Milky Way's core in Sagittarius culminates about 18.3° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 562 m elevation, roughly 6% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.
With a population above one million, Sofia produces significant sky glow: expect the Moon, planets and bright stars from the centre, and travel outward for the Milky Way.
What does this mean for you?
Your Sky Briefing
- Right now
- The sky is transitioning toward darkness.
- Tonight
- Cloud cover is the main factor limiting visibility tonight.
- Aurora
- Current geomagnetic activity (Kp 1.3, quiet) is not strong enough to bring the aurora to your latitude.
- Weather
- No significant rain, wind or temperature extremes are expected overnight.
Skies should be clear tonight, making it a good night for stargazing, although aurora activity is unlikely.
Best nights this month in Sofia
Calculated for these coordinates and today's date — not a fixed list.
- 2026-11-05 — Taurids peak — up to 5/hour
Radiant in Taurus. Favours the Northern Hemisphere, which includes Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria. The Moon is 18% lit on peak night, so lunar interference is low.
- 2026-11-09 — Darkest night of the coming month
The Moon is only 0% illuminated, giving the least lunar interference in the next 30 nights — the best window for the Milky Way and faint deep-sky targets from Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria.
- 2026-11-17 — Leonids peak — up to 15/hour
Radiant in Leo. Visible from both hemispheres. The Moon is 45% lit on peak night, so lunar interference is moderate.
- 2026-11-24 — Full Moon
A 100%-lit Moon washes out faint objects, but lunar terrain along the limb is at its most striking — plan bright targets and planets instead of deep sky.
Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria stargazing questions
- What can I see in the sky tonight from Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria?
- Tonight from Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria expect a waning crescent Moon at 14% illumination, with these naked-eye planets above the horizon after dark: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus. The night offers about 10.7 hours of true astronomical darkness.
- What planets are visible tonight in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria?
- Tonight in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus are visible to the naked eye after dark, based on this location's real ephemeris for tonight.
- When does darkness start tonight in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria?
- Astronomical darkness begins at 6:50 PM local time in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria tonight, the moment the Sun drops more than 18° below the horizon and the sky becomes fully dark for faint-object observing.
- Can you see the aurora tonight in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria?
- Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria is far enough from the pole that aurora only reaches overhead during a major geomagnetic storm — specifically when the planetary Kp index reaches about 8.1, a level reached only a handful of times per solar cycle.
- What is the stargazing light pollution level in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria?
- Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria is a large metropolitan area — typically Bortle class 7–9 (bright, inner-city sky), where only the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars are visible. These are typical ranges for this population size, not a measured reading for this exact spot — use tonight's Moon phase and the best-nights list above to time a visit away from direct lighting.
- Is light pollution a problem in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria?
- Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria is a large metropolitan area, so expect only the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars from inside it. This page's Moon and darkness figures tell you the other half of the story.
- When can I see the Milky Way from Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria?
- The core reaches about 18.3° altitude, so target the moonless nights listed in the best-nights section and get away from the city core.
- How dark does it actually get in Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria tonight?
- About 10.7 hours of astronomical darkness (Sun more than 18° below the horizon). That is the real observing window for faint objects; brighter targets are workable from dusk onward.
Nearby cities
Real great-circle distance from Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria.
More in Sofia-Capital
Other sky reports in the same region.
Sky tonight across Bulgaria
Other cities in Bulgaria with live sky reports.
Popular astronomy destinations
Aurora hubs, dark-sky sites, and observatory towns.
☄️ Leonids peaks in 11 days
Up to 15 meteors/hour at peak, radiating from Leo.
Full viewing guide →Related astronomy for Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this just astronomy weather for Sofia?
This page goes beyond ordinary astronomy weather -- it combines real local weather for astronomy, live space weather, and the space weather aurora connection into one live report for Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria.
What are tonight's astronomy viewing conditions for Sofia?
The sky viewing conditions badge above reflects the real astronomy viewing conditions for Sofia, Sofia-Capital, Bulgaria right now -- cloud cover, darkness, and moon interference combined, not moon phase alone. Good weather for stargazing depends on all of these together.