Stargazing in Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia

Dark-sky rating for Windhoek

Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia is a mid-sized city (population about 386,219). A place this size typically has a bright suburban sky: main constellations are easy, the Milky Way is washed out. That is an estimate of Bortle class 5–6 from population, not a measurement: the real value depends on the exact spot you observe from.

For a measured reading at any point, open the live Dark Sky map.

Nearest dark-sky places and observatories

• H.E.S.S. Observatory · observatory · about 98 km away

Milky Way season in Windhoek

The bright core of the Milky Way passes almost directly overhead. It climbs at least 20° above the horizon during astronomical darkness in February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, peaking in April at about 83°.

• The south celestial pole stands 22.6° above the horizon, so stars within 23° of it never set from here.
• About 69.2% of the whole sky rises above the horizon at some point in the year from this latitude.
• The Milky Way's core in Sagittarius culminates about 83.6° up, passing almost directly overhead.
• The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are circumpolar here — visible on any clear, dark night of the year.
• At 1700 m elevation, roughly 18% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.

Tonight and aurora

As of October 20, 2026 (UTC) the Moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 64% illumination. Aurora at 22.6° latitude generally needs about Kp 9.0.

Nearby places

• Ondjiva, Cunene, Angola