Astronomy becomes yet another Nam attraction

NAMIBIA’S unpolluted skies are a stargazer’s paradise – not only for large-scale projects such as the award-winning HESS Research Project at the Gamsberg, but also for the individual enthusiast.

To confirm this, a large foreign delegation of 35 stargazers from all over the world will be assembling at the White Lady Lodge at the Brandberg for the Southern Stargazers Meeting hosted by the local branch of Sternfreunden fuer Sternfreunde’s (By Stargazers for Stargazers Club). “The meeting will be for each and every stargazer; be they amateur or professional.There will be a lot to learn, and most importantly, there will be an extravagant stellar show in our heavens,” Eberhard von Grumbkow, who has 20 years’ experience in stargazing, told The Namibian.He said the main reason for hosting the event, which is likely to become an annual occasion, is to share his experience with others, while learning from them in return.”Guests will have the opportunity to look through various telescopes… Everybody can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of those telescopes,” he said.”Those who are interested in astrophotography can inform themselves about the exercise, from exposures with a household camera to the latest technology with CCDs.”He said that even sun observation at visual light or H-alpha light through various instruments would be offered at the meeting.Another specialist in local stargazing who will be at the meeting is Martin Birkmaier.According to Grumbkow, Birkmaier knows telescopes, binoculars, telescope mountings, software and accessories intimately and could give good advice.Birkmaier is renowned internationally and is said to know Namibia’s night skies like the palm of his hand.The programme, which is still subject to change, will include “bare eye observations of various twilight phenomena” such as seeing the rise of earth’s shadow; observing the “zodiacal light”, constellations, globular and open star clusters and a variety of galaxies.Besides the stars, there will also be planetary observation of the planets in our solar system.Several lectures are also expected to be presented.The meeting will take place from June 15 to 17 at the lodge, which is situated near Brandberg.”The meeting will be for each and every stargazer; be they amateur or professional.There will be a lot to learn, and most importantly, there will be an extravagant stellar show in our heavens,” Eberhard von Grumbkow, who has 20 years’ experience in stargazing, told The Namibian.He said the main reason for hosting the event, which is likely to become an annual occasion, is to share his experience with others, while learning from them in return.”Guests will have the opportunity to look through various telescopes… Everybody can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of those telescopes,” he said.”Those who are interested in astrophotography can inform themselves about the exercise, from exposures with a household camera to the latest technology with CCDs.”He said that even sun observation at visual light or H-alpha light through various instruments would be offered at the meeting.Another specialist in local stargazing who will be at the meeting is Martin Birkmaier.According to Grumbkow, Birkmaier knows telescopes, binoculars, telescope mountings, software and accessories intimately and could give good advice.Birkmaier is renowned internationally and is said to know Namibia’s night skies like the palm of his hand.The programme, which is still subject to change, will include “bare eye observations of various twilight phenomena” such as seeing the rise of earth’s shadow; observing the “zodiacal light”, constellations, globular and open star clusters and a variety of galaxies.Besides the stars, there will also be planetary observation of the planets in our solar system.Several lectures are also expected to be presented.The meeting will take place from June 15 to 17 at the lodge, which is situated near Brandberg.