The night sky on the night of Muhammad Ali lighting the Olympic flame — 19 July 1996

At the opening ceremony of the Atlanta Olympics on 19 July 1996, the final torchbearer was a surprise: Muhammad Ali, his hands trembling from Parkinson's disease, lit the Olympic cauldron. The stadium rose to its feet; it remains one of the most emotional moments in Olympic history.

The sky over Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

This is the real sky above Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (33.73°N, 84.39°W) on 19 July 1996 at 22:00 EDT (UTC−4) that night (1996-07-20 02:00 UTC). The Sun was 14° below the horizon: twilight was fading and the stars were coming out. The Moon (waxing crescent, 17% lit) was 13° up in the west. Planets above the horizon: Jupiter (23° in the south-east). Brightest named stars up: Arcturus, Vega, Altair, Spica and Antares.

Star map of the sky over Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA on 19 July 1996 at 22:00 JupiterMoon ArcturusVegaAltairSpicaAntaresDenebRegulusShaula NSEW
784 stars brighter than magnitude 5 above the horizon, with the constellation figures. Look up: north at the top, east on the left.

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