The night sky over London at the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony

The London 2012 Olympic Games opened on the evening of 27 July 2012, in the new Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London. Film director Danny Boyle created the ceremony and called it 'Isles of Wonder'.

The show told a story of Britain, from green fields to the Industrial Revolution, the National Health Service and pop music. It was the third time London had hosted the Summer Games.

Sky chart of the night sky above Stratford, London, England at 9:00 PM on July 27, 2012
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The sky above Stratford, London, England on July 27, 2012

The sky was still bright with twilight, so only the brightest planets and stars showed. There was a waxing gibbous Moon in the sky, 67% lit. It stood 17° above the horizon in the south, in the constellation Libra.

The sun is just below the horizon and the sky is still bright. Only the brightest planets and stars show.

Local time
9:00 PM
Time in UTC
July 27, 2012 at 8:00 PM UTC
Sun
Civil twilight
Sun position
1° below the horizon
Moon phase
waxing gibbous Moon
Moon lit
67%
Moon position
17° above the horizon in the south

What happened that night

A short film showed James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, collecting Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Moments later, a stunt double in a matching dress parachuted towards the stadium.

Late in the night, seven young people lit the cauldron. Its copper petals, one for each competing nation, rose to form one flame.

Why people remember it

Many people in Britain remember the ceremony as warm, funny and personal. It set the tone for a summer of sport across the country.

A star map of this night makes a gift for an athlete, a volunteer, or anyone who watched with friends and family.

Questions about this night

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