The night sky on the night of the Moon landing — 20 July 1969
On 20 July 1969 Apollo 11's lunar module Eagle touched down in the Sea of Tranquility. At 02:56 UTC on 21 July — 21:56 in Houston, where Mission Control was following every word — Neil Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon. Buzz Aldrin joined him about 19 minutes later, while Michael Collins circled overhead in the command module Columbia.
The sky over Mission Control, Houston, Texas, USA
This is the real sky above Mission Control, Houston, Texas, USA (29.56°N, 95.09°W) on 20 July 1969 at 21:56 CDT (UTC−5) — the moment Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon (1969-07-21 02:56 UTC). The Sun was 19° below the horizon: it was full night. The Moon (waxing crescent, 36% lit) was 24° up in the south-west. Planets above the horizon: Jupiter (21° in the west) and Mars (36° in the south). Brightest named stars up: Arcturus, Vega, Altair, Spica and Antares.
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.
Want this night on your wall? Make a print-ready A3 star-chart poster of 20 July 1969 — 4.99.
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