Stargazing at NamibRand Nature Reserve in December
southern Namibia. Figures for December 2026, calculated by us. Times are local.
Stars, no core
In mid-December the sky is fully dark from about 21:10 to 04:31, 7.3 hours a night. The bright centre of the Milky Way is only up in daylight this month, but the rest of the sky is still worth the trip.
The darkest nights in December 2026
Nights when the Moon is down for almost all of the dark hours:
- 4 Dec to 12 Dec 2026 (9 nights)
- New Moon: 9 December 2026
- Full Moon: 24 December 2026
What to know
- It was named an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2012, the first in Africa.
- It holds Gold Tier status, the darkest and strictest category.
There is no town nearby, so the sky is dark from horizon to horizon. Stays are at lodges and camps inside or next to the reserve.
Get a note when it is worth going out
A short email before an eclipse, a strong meteor shower or a dark week worth planning for. No more than a few a month.
NamibRand Nature Reserve: the whole year. All five dark-sky places.
Sources
- Darkness, Moon and Milky Way: our calculation, Astronomy Engine 2.1.19 (MIT licence). How we worked it out.
- NamibRand Nature Reserve, dark sky.