Stargazing at NamibRand Nature Reserve in October
southern Namibia. Figures for October 2026, calculated by us. Times are local.
Good
In mid-October the sky is fully dark from about 20:20 to 05:02, 8.7 hours a night. The bright centre of the Milky Way is well up from about 20:26 to 22:46.
The darkest nights in October 2026
Nights when the Moon is down for almost all of the dark hours:
- 5 Oct to 13 Oct 2026 (9 nights)
- New Moon: 10 October 2026
- Full Moon: 26 October 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.