Kourou, French Guiana

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

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Kourou, French Guiana

That morning

Sunrise

6:15 AM

6:15 AM

Clears the hills at 6:18 AM, 3 min after sunrise

5:54 AM Blue hour
6:15 AM Sunrise
6:44 AM Golden hour ends

Sunset

6:12 PM

6:12 PM

Behind the hills at 6:08 PM, 4 min before sunset

Too far ahead for a weather forecast. These are the sun's own times - they will not change.

5:44 PM Golden hour
6:12 PM Sunset
6:33 PM Blue hour ends

Meteor shower

Southern Taurids

Best around 12:57 AM

Very LowExcellent
7:42 PM Dark enough
12:57 AM Best
4:46 AM Too light
Estimate
A few/hour
from a dark spot here, off its peak night
Radiant climbs to
81°
Under a perfect sky
5/hour
Moonlight
No interference
Speed
27 km/s

Where they come from: Comet Encke (2P/Encke)

Dust from Comet Encke, which goes round the Sun every 3.3 years, the shortest of any bright comet. Its stream is old and spread wide, so the Taurids last for weeks and carry larger pieces than most: the 'Halloween fireballs'.

The estimate is how many you might really see from a dark spot here, allowing for how high the shower climbs and for moonlight. "Under a perfect sky" is the best case. The bar also counts the forecast cloud at the best time, so a clouded-out night sits at the bottom, as does rain on the radar now.

Not many meteors, but known for bright fireballs.

Meteor shower

Northern Taurids

Best around 12:57 AM

Very LowExcellent
7:42 PM Dark enough
12:57 AM Best
4:46 AM Too light
Estimate
A few/hour
from a dark spot here, off its peak night
Radiant climbs to
75°
Under a perfect sky
5/hour
Moonlight
No interference
Speed
29 km/s

Where they come from: Comet Encke (2P/Encke)

The other half of Comet Encke's wide, old stream: the same dust as the Southern Taurids, met a little later and from a little further north. Known, with them, for slow, bright fireballs.

The estimate is how many you might really see from a dark spot here, allowing for how high the shower climbs and for moonlight. "Under a perfect sky" is the best case. The bar also counts the forecast cloud at the best time, so a clouded-out night sits at the bottom, as does rain on the radar now.

The second half of the Taurids, peaking about a week after the Southern Taurids.

Meteor shower

Orionids

Best around 3:57 AM

Very LowExcellent
7:42 PM Dark enough
3:57 AM Best
4:46 AM Too light
Estimate
A few/hour
from a dark spot here, off its peak night
Radiant climbs to
75°
Under a perfect sky
20/hour
Moonlight
No interference
Speed
66 km/s

Where they come from: Halley's Comet (1P/Halley)

Dust shed by Halley's Comet, the same stream as May's Eta Aquariids. The comet itself last came round in 1986 and returns in 2061; its dust arrives every October.

The estimate is how many you might really see from a dark spot here, allowing for how high the shower climbs and for moonlight. "Under a perfect sky" is the best case. The bar also counts the forecast cloud at the best time, so a clouded-out night sits at the bottom, as does rain on the radar now.

Also from Halley's Comet. Fast meteors that often leave glowing trails.

Moon

Waning crescent

3% lit

4:44 AM – 4:58 PM

E W
4:44 AM Moonrise
5:01 AM 4°
10:51 AM Highest, 78°
4:41 PM 4°
4:58 PM Moonset

Between the two 4° marks the Moon is clear of haze and most of what stands on the horizon.

Timetable

  • Moonrise 4:45 AM
  • Morning blue hour 5:54 AM–6:15 AM
  • Sunrise 6:15 AM
  • Morning golden hour 6:15 AM–6:44 AM
  • Morning best color 6:27 AM
  • Moonset 4:58 PM
  • Evening golden hour 5:44 PM–6:12 PM
  • Evening best color 5:54 PM
  • Sunset 6:12 PM
  • Evening blue hour 6:12 PM–6:33 PM
  • Fully dark 7:23 PM–5:05 AM
  • Dark, no Moon 7:23 PM–5:05 AM

Upcoming celestial events for Kourou, French Guiana

Día de Muertos Día de Muertos in Kourou - sunset at 6:12 PM
Sun 1 Nov 2026 6:12 PM Southern Taurids Still active, a few an hour
Sun 1 Nov 2026 7:42 PM Northern Taurids Still active, a few an hour
Sun 1 Nov 2026 7:42 PM Día de Muertos Día de Muertos in Kourou - sunset at 6:12 PM
Mon 2 Nov 2026 6:12 PM International Space Station Modest pass, SSW to S, 16 deg up
Mon 2 Nov 2026 7:46 PM International Space Station Modest pass, SSE to ESE, 17 deg up
Tue 3 Nov 2026 6:59 PM Partial solar eclipse 7.9% of the Sun covered
Sat 6 Feb 2027 2:19 PM Partial lunar eclipse 6% of the Moon in shadow
Tue 11 Jan 2028 1:13 AM Partial solar eclipse 83.4% of the Sun covered
Wed 26 Jan 2028 12:10 PM Total lunar eclipse Totality lasts 101 minutes
Mon 25 Jun 2029 12:22 AM Total lunar eclipse 88% of it above your horizon
Thu 20 Dec 2029 7:42 PM Partial solar eclipse 1.6% of the Sun covered
Mon 20 Mar 2034 6:33 AM Partial solar eclipse 1.6% of the Sun covered
Tue 12 Sep 2034 1:33 PM Partial lunar eclipse 1% of the Moon in shadow
Wed 27 Sep 2034 11:46 PM Partial lunar eclipse 10% of the Moon in shadow
Sat 18 Aug 2035 10:11 PM Total lunar eclipse 66% of it above your horizon
Mon 11 Feb 2036 7:12 PM Total lunar eclipse Totality lasts 95 minutes
Wed 6 Aug 2036 11:51 PM Partial solar eclipse 97.2% of the Sun covered
Sat 12 Aug 2045 3:55 PM Partial solar eclipse 0.7% of the Sun covered
Thu 2 Aug 2046 6:25 AM

Every celestial event, and where else to see it