Stargazing at NamibRand Nature Reserve in January
southern Namibia. Figures for January 2027, calculated by us. Times are local.
Stars, no core
In mid-January the sky is fully dark from about 21:17 to 04:53, 7.5 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 January 2027
Nights when the Moon is down for almost all of the dark hours:
- 4 Jan to 12 Jan 2027 (9 nights)
- New Moon: 7 January 2027
- Full Moon: 22 January 2027
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.