Overview: a week of autumn skies in Bucharest
From September 29 to October 5, 2025, Bucharest offers clear opportunities to watch the planets unfold as autumn evenings lengthen. The Sun hums along in the constellation Virgo, a sign of seasonal change, and the Moon’s phase cycle provides a useful guide for planning your observations. The night grows longer, with darkness arriving shortly after sunset and continuing well into the early hours.
Key daily timings to know
In Bucharest, sunset occurs around 18:53. Nighttime darkness begins around 20:30, and the longest observable window for this period settles at about 12 hours and 18 minutes. After 19:00, Saturn becomes visible, joining the late-evening sky, while in the pre-dawn hours Venus and Jupiter rise in the east and become visible before sunrise.
Planets in view this week
Saturn in Pisces
Saturn rises around 18:40 and climbs toward its highest point in the south near 00:30. Although Saturn is not at its brightest during this orbit, it remains a distinctive glow among the fainter stars. Saturn hovers low in the east-southeast after dusk, gradually brightening as darkness deepens. The planet sits in Pisces, with Fomalhaut—the bright star in Piscis Austrinus—visible nearby to the south-southeast. On the evenings of October 5–6, the Moon will be near Saturn, making for an especially appealing sightline.
Jupiter in Gemini
Jupiter rises around 00:30 and becomes more noticeable as the night progresses. In the early hours, you’ll find Jupiter in the east with the twin stars Castor and Pollux shining above. Jupiter remains a dominant beacon in the morning sky and a straightforward target for binoculars or a small telescope.
Venus in Leo
Venus rises around 05:00 and is the brightest object in the pre-dawn sky, outshining even Jupiter. During this week Venus sits in the constellation Leo, lending a brilliant anchor to the eastern sky before sunrise.
The Moon: phase and visibility
The Moon’s phase cycle features a First Quarter on September 30 at 02:54. Throughout the week, the Moon graces the early-night sky in the first half of the night, helping to frame the planets and bright stars for observers from Bucharest.
A few bright stars to guide your observing
September skies offer several prominent anchors for skywatchers:
- Antares in the southwest, a giant red star in Scorpius. It’s a striking marker near the horizon in the late evening, giving a warm, ruddy hue as a contrast to the fainter constellations around it.
- Arcturus in Boötes, to the west. This orange giant sits about 37 light-years away and shines about 25 times brighter than the Sun, making it one of the season’s standout bright points.
- Capella in Auriga, to the north. This bright star is actually a quadruple system and, as you glance upward, you’re looking at two close binaries sharing a common center of mass.
- Fomalhaut in Piscis Austrinus, toward the south. A relatively nearby star at about 25 light-years, Fomalhaut is known for surrounding dusty material and a planetary companion in some observations.
In the skies near Saturn, you may also spot Fomalhaut to the right in the evening sky, offering a useful reference point if you’re trying to orient yourself in a light-polluted city environment.
Observing tips for the Bucharest skies
Tips to maximize your experience this week: choose a dark site with an unobstructed horizon, especially toward the east and southeast where Saturn and the dawn planets rise. Bring a pair of binoculars to easily pick out Saturn’s steady disk and the bright Jovian two-appendaged companion stars Castor and Pollux above Jupiter. A light pollution filter and a simple star chart can help you navigate Antares, Arcturus, Capella, and Fomalhaut as they shift with the seasons.
Calendar snapshot
Key markers for the week (approximate times, local to Bucharest):
- Sunset: ~18:53
- Night starts: ~20:30
- First Quarter Moon: Sept 30 at 02:54
- Saturn rises: ~18:40; highest point ~00:30 (in Pisces)
- Jupiter rises: ~00:30 (in Gemini)
- Venus rises: ~05:00 (in Leo)
As always, view conditions vary with weather and light pollution. If you miss a target one night, try a different hour window; the autumn sky offers multiple opportunities to see these gorgeous planetary and stellar landmarks.
