The night sky over Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics opening
On the evening of 12 February 2010, the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games opened at BC Place. It was the first time an Olympic opening ceremony took place indoors.
The Four Host First Nations, on whose traditional lands the Games took place, welcomed the athletes. The show then celebrated Canada's land and people in music, dance and light.
The sky above Vancouver, British Columbia on 12 February 2010
The sky was still bright with twilight, so only the brightest planets and stars showed. There was a waning crescent Moon, 1% lit, but it was below the horizon.
The sun is just below the horizon and the sky is still bright. Only the brightest planets and stars show.
- Local time
- 18:00
- Time in UTC
- 13 February 2010 at 02:00 UTC
- Sun
- Civil twilight
- Sun position
- 6° below the horizon
- Moon phase
- waning crescent Moon
- Moon lit
- 1%
- Moon position
- 15° below the horizon
| Planet | Visible | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | No | west | -24° |
| Venus | No | west | 1° |
| Mars | No | east | 25° |
| Jupiter | No | west | 4° |
| Saturn | No | north-east | -26° |
| Uranus | No | south-west | 20° |
| Neptune | No | west | -4° |
| Star | Constellation | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capella | Auriga | east | 70° |
| Rigel | Orion | south-east | 27° |
| Procyon | Canis Minor | east | 20° |
| Betelgeuse | Orion | south-east | 37° |
| Aldebaran | Taurus | south-east | 54° |
| Pollux | Gemini | east | 36° |
| Deneb | Cygnus | north-west | 28° |
| Castor | Gemini | east | 40° |
| Bellatrix | Orion | south-east | 40° |
| Elnath | Taurus | south-east | 58° |
36 constellations are above the horizon. Highest in the sky: Perseus, Camelopardalis, Triangulum, Cassiopeia, Auriga, Andromeda, Aries, Taurus, Cepheus, Lacerta, Lynx and Gemini.
What happened that night
k.d. lang sang Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. Canadian sports heroes lit the cauldron inside the stadium.
Wayne Gretzky then rode through the streets in the back of a pick-up truck to light the outdoor cauldron at Coal Harbour, beside the water.
Why people remember it
Over the next two weeks, Canada won 14 gold medals, more than any other country. The last competition of the Games, the men's ice hockey final, ended with Sidney Crosby's overtime goal.
A star map of this night makes a gift for an ice hockey fan, a skier, or anyone who lived in Vancouver in 2010.
Questions about this night
It shows 6:00pm Pacific Standard Time on 12 February 2010, when the opening ceremony began at BC Place.
Inside BC Place, the cauldron was lit by Canadian sports heroes, and Wayne Gretzky lit the outdoor cauldron at Coal Harbour.
Yes. Open the map in the editor and change the date and time. You can also change the place, for example to Whistler.