The night sky over Johannesburg when Spain won the World Cup
On 11 July 2010, Spain played the Netherlands in the World Cup final at Soccer City in Johannesburg. It was the first World Cup held in Africa.
The match stayed goalless until extra time. Then Andrés Iniesta scored, and Spain won 1-0 to become world champions for the first time.
The sky above Johannesburg, South Africa on 11 July 2010
The sky was fully dark. There was a new Moon, 0% lit, but it was below the horizon. Mars and Saturn were above the horizon and could be seen without a telescope.
- Local time
- 8:30 PM
- Time in UTC
- 11 July 2010 at 6:30 PM UTC
- Sun
- Night
- Sun position
- 39° below the horizon
- Moon phase
- new Moon
- Moon lit
- 0%
- Moon position
- 40° below the horizon
| Planet | Visible | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | No | west | -25° |
| Venus | No | west | 3° |
| Mars | Yes | west | 20° |
| Jupiter | No | east | -34° |
| Saturn | Yes | west | 30° |
| Uranus | No | east | -31° |
| Neptune | No | east | 1° |
| Star | Constellation | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigil Kentaurus | Centaurus | south | 54° |
| Arcturus | Boötes | north-west | 40° |
| Vega | Lyra | north-east | 13° |
| Hadar | Centaurus | south | 52° |
| Altair | Aquila | east | 20° |
| Acrux | Crux | south-west | 42° |
| Spica | Virgo | west | 55° |
| Antares | Scorpius | east | 79° |
| Mimosa | Crux | south-west | 45° |
| Gacrux | Crux | south-west | 45° |
50 constellations are above the horizon. Highest in the sky: Libra, Lupus, Scorpius, Norma, Ophiuchus, Centaurus, Ara, Circinus, Serpens, Telescopium, Virgo, and Triangulum Australe.
What happened that night
Iker Casillas, Spain's captain and goalkeeper, made key saves before the goal. After the final whistle, he lifted the trophy for Spain.
In Spain, the clock showed the same time as in Johannesburg. Fans filled the streets of Madrid, Barcelona and towns across the country to celebrate.
Why people remember it
The win crowned a golden era for Spanish football, between European titles in 2008 and 2012.
A star map of this night makes a gift for a Spain fan, or for anyone born in the summer of 2010.
Questions about this night
It shows 8:30pm South African Standard Time on 11 July 2010, the kick-off of the final. Iniesta scored in the 116th minute.
Andrés Iniesta scored in extra time. Spain won 1-0.
Yes. Open the map in the editor and search for Madrid. Spain and South Africa used the same clock time that night, so the time can stay the same.