Dark Sky Odds

Stargazing at Körös-Maros National Park: when is the sky clear and dark?

October is the best month for stargazing at Körös-Maros National Park: on average 52 clear, moonless hours of full darkness, and 30% of nights have at least two of them (ERA5, 2006–2025). The darkest spot we found there is darker than 58% of Europe’s land (NASA VIIRS 2025).

Data updated: 31 December 2025 · Sources and licences

Calculated 5 November 2026 · cloud cover ERA5 2006–2025 · night lights NASA VIIRS 2025

national park · Hungary

OctoberBest month
425Clear moonless dark hours a year
58%darker than … of Europe’s land
30%Nights with ≥ 2 such hours (October)

Month by month

MonthNights with ≥ 2 such hoursClear moonless dark hoursMoonless dark hoursOf them clear
January21%3217818%
February24%3414823%
March30%4813435%
April25%3210032%
May17%207028%
June13%123533%
July24%255943%
August34%489351%
September33%5012241%
October30%5215633%
November26%4017223%
December20%3418818%

Climate, not a forecast: these are shares of past nights (ERA5 reanalysis, 2006–2025), not a prediction for a particular night. Check a forecast before you go.

Light pollution

Darker than58% of Europe’s land
Light pollutiondark rural sky (darkest 20–50 %)
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — Darkest spot we found2.53
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — at the official map point4.09
Sky-glow index (own, VIIRS) — median across the area5.78
Darkest spot we found46.558, 20.958 (map) — within 13 km of the Wikidata point (no OSM boundary)

Next new moons

New moonNightMoonless dark hours that nightTypical share of good nights that month
9 November 20268–9 November 202610.826%
9 December 20268–9 December 202611.720%
7 January 20277–8 January 202711.721%
6 February 20276–7 February 202710.524%
8 March 20277–8 March 20279.230%
6 April 20276–7 April 20277.325%
6 May 20276–7 May 20275.217%
4 June 20274–5 June 20273.013%
4 July 20273–4 July 20272.824%
2 August 20271–2 August 20274.734%
31 August 202731 August 2027 – 1 September 20277.034%
30 September 202729–30 September 20278.833%

Hours with the Sun below −18° and the Moon below the horizon, on the night of the new moon, at the darkest spot.

Meteor showers

ShowerPeak nightChance of a clear peak nightMoon litMoonless dark hours (Sun < −12°)Radiant max. height
Leonids17–18 November 202648%54%6.565°
Geminids *13–14 December 202638%20%10.276°
Geminids *14–15 December 202635%28%9.076°
Quadrantids3–4 January 202732%13%11.770°
Lyrids22–23 April 202758%95%1.277°
Eta Aquariids *5–6 May 202732%0%6.816°
Eta Aquariids *6–7 May 202732%0%6.816°
Perseids *12–13 August 202778%84%3.267°
Perseids *13–14 August 202770%90%2.068°
Orionids21–22 October 202747%59%3.359°
Leonids *17–18 November 202748%82%1.765°
Leonids *18–19 November 202745%73%3.065°
Geminids14–15 December 202735%98%0.076°

* The peak falls in daylight in Europe, so both neighbouring nights are shown.

Clear peak night: at least 2 hours with ≤ 20 % cloud while the Sun is below −12°, on the same calendar night ± 1 in 2006–2025.

How we calculate