04.05.2014 / Sutherland, South Africa

OPEN AND READY
The weather is changing in the Karoo, and gusty winds drive massive clouds through the skies. Winter is coming… Last night was clear still, and so I took the opportunity to spend one more evening at the observatory photographing the LCOGT-telescopes in the last light of day – just opening up and getting for observations. As astronomy is a very light-sensitive science, strictly no lights are allowed on site, and soon after nightfall you’ll be shrouded in complete darkness with only the stars illuminating the night sky. When I was done taking pictures, I took part in one of the public stargazing-sessions that the observatory offers to visitors four times a week. Two large optical telescopes point to all sorts of targets (stars, planets, galaxies and nebulae) – supervised by a highly knowledgable tour-guide.