The night sky on the night of Millennium Night — 1 January 2000

At midnight on 31 December 1999 the world welcomed the year 2000, with celebrations moving time zone by time zone from the Pacific to the Americas. In London the Queen attended the opening night of the Millennium Dome at Greenwich, beside the Prime Meridian. Fears that the 'Y2K bug' would crash computers worldwide proved largely unfounded.

The sky over Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London, England

This is the real sky above Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London, England (51.50°N, 0.00°E) on 1 January 2000 at 00:00 GMT (UTC+0) — the stroke of midnight on the Prime Meridian (2000-01-01 00:00 UTC). The Sun was 62° below the horizon: it was full night. The Moon (waning crescent, 27% lit) was below the horizon. Planets above the horizon: Jupiter (15° in the west) and Saturn (27° in the west). Brightest named stars up: Sirius, Capella, Rigel, Procyon and Betelgeuse.

Star map of the sky over Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London, England on 1 January 2000 at 00:00 JupiterSaturn SiriusCapellaRigelProcyonBetelgeuseAldebaranPolluxDeneb NSEW
809 stars brighter than magnitude 5 above the horizon, with the constellation figures. Look up: north at the top, east on the left.

Make the sky of YOUR date

Every night has its own sky. Pick your city and your date — the night you met, a birth, a wedding — and see the real stars above it, free.

Make the sky of YOUR date

Want this night on your wall? Make a print-ready A3 star-chart poster of 1 January 2000 — 4.99.

All 75 historic night skies · The night sky on your birthday