Moroccan dark sites

[paddyb]

I’m hoping to attempt my first proper dark site star gazing experience in Morocco in a couple of weeks. Does anyone have any experience there. Any recommendations for dark sky sites within a few hours of Marrakech?

In particular, I like to sound of this place:
http://www.saharasky.net/hotel/index.php
It has an “observatory”. That might be too an ambitious term for what it is (elsewhere described as an amateur telescope - there picture of it so I’m sure someone here will know more about it) but I have no equipment whatsoever, so a chance to have a go with equipment like this in a truly dark area is quite a draw for me.

It’s about 30km from the nearest town Zagora, but there are some quite large looking villages a few KM away. Will this provide too much light pollution for a to really be considered  a dark site?

Any other Moroccan recommendations. Use of a telescope a bonus!

 

[PeterStudz]

I have zero experience of Morocco but I have been abroad to a dark part of the world. We were in a small village. But a short 15min walk was all it took to get totally away from the village lights. Of course it does mean you need to be able to carry your kit.

As far as being dark goes the real issue is the moon. I made sure we went during the new moon, when the moon was well out of the way. 

Even though this was in Europe on one night there was someone or some people firing rifles in the middle of the night - a little concerning to say the least! So security, especially on your own, might be an issue with these remote locations. But it sounds like you’ll be going somewhere with people plus telescope so this won’t be a problem. 

Edited November 7, 2022 by PeterStudz

[jjohnson3803]

Sidenote:  It might be worthwhile to get a good pair of lightweight binoculars to take along.  Portable, and useful if you can't get any scope time.

[bomberbaz]

I don't know if you have a budget but 1f you can splash on binoculars,  then image stabalised versions outperform regular to some degree. 

[paddyb]

Thanks both

I'll be going on some kind of tour rather than on my own, swo it should be safe.

Sounds like a good view should be possible, my main issue is getting there from Marrakesh in time for the new moon on the 23rd and I've been advised in another thread to try and get there a couple of days earlier than while sagatarius is still in view, though there will be a slight moon.

Will investigate binoculars, but don't want to spend a lot or take anhything to bulky with me. I'm sure someone else on the trip will have some I can have a look though!

[LukeSkywatcher]

I always bring a pair of 10x50 bins when I travel. 

I was in Marakesh when I was 21, but was in a time of my life when astronomy wasn't that important to me. I was more interested in other heavenly pursuits.

Edited November 8, 2022 by LukeSkywatcher

[GTom]

Couple of years down the road interested if anyone acquired first hand experience in the meantime? Flights are very reasonably priced year round.

Wondering if one has to run up to the Toubkal to escape the dust?

[GraemeC]

We had a two centre holiday, before lockdown. We had two days in Marrakesh then a few days at a kasbah near Asni, in the foothills of the atlas mountains. At night I walked out of the kasbah and up the hillside opposite. I had a vixen ss2000 and DSLR with long lenses on that trip. Since then I'm using a more transportable star adventurer.

The sky was great, mag 5 stars right down to the horizon, no lights, just the dogs barking in the villages in the valley below. The trickiest bit was walking up and down the hill on the footpath in the dark! If I had a hire car I could carry more equipment and I would go a little further into the hills to find a layby or a patch of open ground.

[GraemeC]

The kasbah itself had lights so I had to walk up the footpath to the hillside opposite. We had walked the same footpath in the daytime so I knew the way 🙂 I did have to explain what I was doing to the kasbah's security guards!