Stargazing in the Desert: The Magic of Namibia’s Night Sky
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Thought to be over 55 million years old, the Namib Desert is free from light pollution, making it a great place for stargazing. Pictured is an image of the desert night sky, taken over two hours.
Astronomer Rob Johnstone uses his free time to observe the stars from an airstrip in the desert.
the International Dark Sky Association has chosen this area as the International Dark Sky Preserve – one of five in the world.
The desert is home to fossilized trees, believed to be over 900 years old.
Johnstone travels through Namibia and provides training in stargazing and astronomy through his company, Space Observation Learning Namibia.
The land is flat and calm, allowing you to see a 360 degree panorama on the horizon.
The desert receives less than 0.4 inches of rain per year and is almost completely barren.
Many plant and animal species that survive in the region have specially adapted to the climate. Gemsboks (pictured) can raise their body temperature to 40 ° C during the hottest hours of the day.
Although the desert is mostly flat, there are a few scenic canyons, such as Sesriem Canyon, in the photo.
See the stars in Namibia
See the stars in Namibia
See the stars in Namibia
Namib Desert
See the stars in Namibia
Namib Desert
Namib Desert
Namib Desert
Namib Desert
HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The Namib Desert is one of the best places in the world for stargazing
- Pitch black at night, it was named International Dark Sky Reserve
- Environmental groups protect the desert from light pollution
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Namib Desert, Namibia (CNN) – It is believed to be the oldest desert in the world. The sun has been hitting it for at least 55 million years, and it covers an area of ​​about 31,200 square miles. The Namib Desert is a harsh landscape but this is where Rob Johnstone chooses to spend his free time.
As the sun begins to set, the astronomer travels to an abandoned airstrip in the middle of the desert and sets up his complicated telescope as the remnants of daylight disappear.
“This landscape is great for stargazing,†says Johnstone, “because if you look around you can see a 360-degree panorama of the horizon.â€
“We really have a stunning view of the night sky. There is literally no light pollution. It’s pitch black. That’s what we’re looking for and that’s what makes this area so incredibly special.”
The Namib Desert is largely uninhabited, extremely calm, and therefore incredibly dark. This makes it one of the best places in the world for stargazing.
Read more: Ghost towns and wild horses in the desert
“This is where the stars shine – they don’t twinkle, they shine,” says Johnstone. He spends as much time as possible gazing at the sky: “I haven’t discovered anything significant yet, like maybe a comet or a dwarf planet, but I’m still young – I have plenty of time left.”
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Johnstone first decided to pursue astronomy when he saw Halley’s Comet in 1986. Now he travels through Namibia, providing training in stargazing and astronomy through his company, Space observation Learning about Namibia. His goal is to have more young heads in the clouds.
“No one looks up,” laments Johnstone. “When you look at the night sky through a telescope like this, you feel very small, especially when you see the size of some stars. Antares, which is a red supergiant star, is 550 times the size of our own sun. “
Namibia’s night sky is one of its biggest tourist attractions, but with the growing development of the country comes the threat of light pollution. Introducing too much light into the area will damage ecosystems as well as stargazing opportunities. Nighttime lighting can disrupt animals’ sleeping patterns, which can alter feeding and mating behavior.
Read: Namibia’s iconic red women
This is where the stars shine – they don’t twinkle, they shine
Rob johnstone
Absalom Vilho is an environmental educator at Nadeet, the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust. He lectures to visiting students on how to reduce light pollution and has made it his mission to teach his fellow Namibians about sustainable lifestyles that will keep the skies pristine.
He has a very personal attachment to the Namibian sky. “If I think back to when I was young, my grannies would always tell me stories associated with something to do with the stars up there,†he says.
“It’s something I’ve grown up with from a young age. I don’t want to wake up one day and find out it’s gone.”
While funding is a challenge, as well as maintaining the latest equipment, Johnstone is also determined to educate more people about Namibia as a great place to stargaze. For him, a single glance into deep space is worth it.
“I think the only big question everyone asks is ‘are we alone?’ – Is there another life there?
“You know, given the size of our Milky Way galaxy, which is 100,000 light years in diameter, and the fact that almost every star we see is a double star – in other words, these are two stars orbiting each other – and there are planets orbiting them, it suddenly makes you feel more lonely. “
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