The night sky on the night of Nelson Mandela's release — 11 February 1990
On 11 February 1990 Nelson Mandela walked out of Victor Verster Prison, near Paarl, after 27 years in prison. That evening he spoke from the balcony of Cape Town City Hall to a huge crowd on the Grand Parade. Four years later he was elected South Africa's first Black president.
The sky over City Hall, Cape Town, South Africa
This is the real sky above City Hall, Cape Town, South Africa (33.93°S, 18.42°E) on 11 February 1990 at 21:00 SAST (UTC+2) that night (1990-02-11 19:00 UTC). The Sun was 15° below the horizon: twilight was fading and the stars were coming out. The Moon (waning gibbous, 96% lit) was 5° up in the east. Planets above the horizon: Jupiter (32° in the north). Brightest named stars up: Sirius, Canopus, Rigil Kentaurus, Capella and Rigel.
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