Stargazing under fantastically dark Namibian Skies – Night Two

[DirkSteele]

Here is the link for the observing report for night two at the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in the IDA Dark Sky Reserve in Namibia.  This is my particular favourite, covering the world’s largest sand dunes and then an observing session from dusk-till-dawn which ended with a comedic scramble to hunt down Comet ISON which had just crossed the orbit of Mars.  It is a little long, but hopefully you will find it a compelling read as I have littered it with a lot of facts about the DSOs observed.  You can read the report here http://alpha-lyrae.co.uk/2013/10/19/stargazing-under-fantastically-dark-namibian-skies-night-two/

If you have yet to read the introduction to the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge and the NamibRand Dark Sky Reserve, the equipment available and the observing report from night one, it can be read here

http://alpha-lyrae.co.uk/2013/10/13/glorious-dark-skies-at-the-sossusvlei-desert-lodge-in-namibia-night-one/

Those small dots are people and this is one of the small ones.

Clear Skies,

[alan potts]

One of the places that I have not had a chance to visit, but my friend is a hunter and goes every year blowing away poor wild animals, he tells me the skies from the camps are stunning.

I hope you enjoy yourself, mind the scorpians  ( I don't mean the band).

Alan

[tingting44]

love the skylight above the bed! how many did you count before falling asleep lol

[DirkSteele]

I hope you enjoy yourself, mind the scorpians  ( I don't mean the band).

Spoiler alert but night 4 suffered from some clouds and the resident astronomer and I went Scorpion hunting with a UV torch.  They really glow under UV.  Most were rather small but one rather large one came into the communal building and it was fast!  The guides caught it and released it some distance away

[faulksy]

amazing review, would love to there, felt like i was. thanks again, look foward to day 3

[alan potts]

Matthew,

Released it I thought they ate everything that moved out there. What gear have you taken, not the 180mm APM I trust but if you could, wow, what a scope for those skies. Clear skies for the rest of  your stay I hope.

Alan

[chiltonstar]

On an occasion camping in the Cinque Terre, I woke up with 6 scorpions in my tent......they obviously like warm people for company! Looks like the place to go for astronomy though, now that the UK is being concreted over!

Chris