The night sky over Berlin at German reunification
At midnight on 3 October 1990, the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany. After 41 years apart, Germany was one country again.
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin. As the clock struck twelve, a large black, red and gold flag rose on a flagpole in front of the building.
The sky above Berlin, Germany on October 3, 1990
The sky was fully dark. There was a waxing gibbous Moon in the sky, 97% lit. It stood 33° above the horizon in the south-west, in the constellation Pisces. Mars was above the horizon and could be seen without a telescope.
- Local time
- 12:00 AM
- Time in UTC
- October 2, 1990 at 11:00 PM UTC
- Sun
- Night
- Sun position
- 41° below the horizon
- Moon phase
- waxing gibbous Moon
- Moon lit
- 97%
- Moon position
- 33° above the horizon in the south-west
| Planet | Visible | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | No | north | -32° |
| Venus | No | north | -36° |
| Mars | Yes | east | 34° |
| Jupiter | No | north-east | -2° |
| Saturn | No | west | -11° |
| Uranus | No | west | -20° |
| Neptune | No | west | -15° |
| Star | Constellation | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vega | Lyra | north-west | 30° |
| Capella | Auriga | east | 46° |
| Betelgeuse | Orion | east | 13° |
| Altair | Aquila | west | 18° |
| Aldebaran | Taurus | east | 32° |
| Pollux | Gemini | north-east | 13° |
| Deneb | Cygnus | west | 51° |
| Castor | Gemini | north-east | 17° |
| Bellatrix | Orion | east | 16° |
| Elnath | Taurus | east | 33° |
36 constellations are above the horizon. Highest in the sky: Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Lacerta, Cepheus, Triangulum, Camelopardalis, Perseus, Aries, Pegasus, Pisces, Ursa Minor, and Cygnus.
What happened that night
The crowd sang the national anthem as the flag went up. Fireworks lit the sky over the city, and people celebrated in the streets until morning.
The day before, East Germany's parliament had held its last meeting. Later on 3 October, the new united Germany held its first official ceremonies.
Why people remember it
3 October is now the Day of German Unity, a public holiday. For many families, it marks the end of a long separation.
A star map of this midnight makes a gift for anyone born in Germany around 1990, or for a couple from the east and the west.
Questions about this night
It shows 00:00 Central European Time on 3 October 1990, at the Reichstag in Berlin. That is the minute reunification took effect.
Because the two German states joined at midnight on 3 October 1990.
Yes. Open the map in the editor and search for your city. The date and time stay the same.