TRAVEL SPECIAL......Travel Planner Romancing the night skies

Travel Planner Romancing the night skies

    Fed up with pollution, nature-loving Mumbaikars have started camping on Kaas Plateau near Satara, a volcanic plateau with unhindered views of the night sky. Recently declared a biodiversity site by UNESCO, this place is better known for its grasslands and rare flora and fauna. With very little population density and artificial lights, it has become an ideal ‘star-peeping’ spot.
    “Not many people enrolled for such vacations earlier, since they felt alienated with regard to astronomy as a subject. But, of late, they have come to enjoy the combination of camping and stargazing,” says Vidisha Kanchan of Letscampout, a travel firm specialising in camping trips.
    For minds disturbed with everyday cacophony and eyes deprived of a clear view of the sky, Kaas would be a welcome break – it’s a place where people can breathe clean air, see the end of the horizon and gaze at the stars. “We arrange Dark Sky Camps there every new moon (when there is minimal light from other sources). Objects like Nebulae and star clusters appear a lot brighter than they do in a city, and because the air is stable and relatively free of pollutants, the images are much cleaner,” adds Kanchan.
360 DEGREE VIEW
Talking of stargazing camps, Jaisalmer can be an exhilarating destination, with a clear blue firmament above. Armed with telescopes and guided by professional astronomers, travellers are lapping up mid-desert astronomy vacations here. Chumathang, en route to Hanle, one of the highest observatories in the world, in Ladakh, has cloudless skies and very little pollution. This makes it perfect for stargazing. Just light up your tent with a torch and set the camera rolling on a tripod. “A remote location high on the Ladakh hills with low humidity, low oxygen, low temperatures and high radiation, Hanle is certainly a good place for astronomy buffs, but it’s not meant for everyone – stay out in the sun for 10 minutes and your face gets burnt,” shares Ajay Talwar, seasoned astrophotographer, who conducts frequent workshops in the Himalayas.
    Another great place to study the nocturnal sky in Ladakh are the camps near the Pangong Lake, known to offer a spotless view of the Milky Way. The Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle is a restricted zone, so make sure you get prior permission to visit the place.
SHOOTING NIGHT TRAILS
The largest telescope of India is coming up at a site called Devasthal, east of Nainital. Standing on the peak of Devasthal, you can see the horizon from all directions. From the peak, you can see the plains, the town of Kathgodam and the foggy lights of Sidcul industrial area. In clear weather, you can see the white peaks of Nanda Devi, Trishul, Panchachuli and more. Shooting star showers with these beauties in the backdrop would be any photographer’s dream come true!
When in Uttarakhand, also visit Majkhali near Ranikhet overlooking the Himalayas with stars above the horizon and little twinkling village lights below. The place makes for some secluded time in the company of stars. Carry your camera around for stunning views of the pine, deodars and the Milky Way on the Ranikhet golf course. You could also travel to Sitlakhet, and easily trek to the top of the peak for even more astounding views of the Himalayas.
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 AROUND THE WORLD

 1 Mauna Kea, Hawaii, is home to one of the most renowned observatories in the world. Perched atop the 13,796-feet volcano sit 13 telescopes from 11 different countries, all using the area’s spectacular night skies to view space. Mauna Kea is considered a prime place to see the stars because its dry atmosphere is one of the most cloud-free spots on Earth.
2 Joshua Tree National Park, South California, has a reputation as a desolate spot with climatic extremes and jet-black night skies. Stargazing visitors can take advantage of the park’s night sky programmes, typically offered in summer.
3 Want to see 10,000 stars twinkling in an inky sky? It’s possible at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, where you can see 7,500 to 10,000 stars on clear, moonless nights.
4 At Galloway Forest Park, Scotland, one can easily see a million of stars, the Andromeda galaxy and the Aurora Borealis with the naked eye! 5 The rolling hills of Tuscany was one of the first places where well-known astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei first used his refracting telescope. Tuscany is the perfect place to view some of the space phenomena that Galileo first observed – sunspots, the mountainous surface of the moon, and Jupiter’s four moons (now known as the Galilean moons).
TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND

Stargazing is best done before the moon is full, so it might be worth looking at the next new moon dates before you book your trip. Street lighting and bright illuminations will prevent a clear view of the stars, so look for a place that has a bare minimum of artificial lighting. Make sure you take warm clothes when camping out. Even on a balmy summer evening, with clear skies above, these destinations can get chilly.
Follow in Galileo’s footsteps, with some free seasonal stargazing guides to spot constellations.
Carry hot chocolate in a thermos and some eatables for late-night snacking.

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