High in the sky!
There is a misconception that if you want to get into stargazing and see anything in the night sky you have to spend tons of cash on telescopes and high tech cameras. Not true at all. Simply find a clear South African night sky, a big blanket, a beverage of choice and some really good company and you can experience them like never before.
There is a list of some of the best star gazing spots online, two of which are, of course, the Midlands and the Berg, KZN.
“The best way to enjoy the experience is firstly, be dressed for the occasion. Grab that beanie, some gloves, a great warm jacket and you’re set to go”, says Sean Granger, GM of Granny Mouse Country House & Spa.
The most important thing is to find a spot where there is little or no electrical lights around as it does impact on the stars in the sky, so find a quiet, safe spot and enjoy.
If you are a little short-sighted, don’t forget your glasses/ binoculars. Let the eyes relax a bit, allow them to adjust to the darkness, and take in the reduced light levels and you will be amazed at what you can see. Keep an eye out (pardon the pun) for shooting stars, which is just an incredible sight on its own and also the number of satellites you can see out there moving slowly around the globe.
When looking at the stars, you will see that they are all different – some bigger, some more faint to the eye, and others are so bright. This is all due to them being different distances from us on earth.
An interesting face is that the coolest stars are red and are around 3 000 degrees centigrade and the hottest are the white stars, in excess of 40 0000 degree centigrade. Due to the temperatures, the colours differ from icy whites, to bluish and some more yellow, orange and of course red.
South Africa is in the fortunate position to capture the Milky Way, meteor showers and even Saturn under very good star gazing conditions when it is at its most spectacular.
Another perfect place to head to is Granny Mouse Country House & Spa. After you have enjoyed a hearty meal, and before you turn in for the night, grab the family, or friends, settle down on their beautifully-manicured lawns and enjoy the sounds of nature and the sights…all the way to the moon and back!