New Luxury Arabian Stargazing Camp

A new luxury stargazing camp in Oman is being featured by tailormade holiday specialists cazenove+loyd, between 12-19 December 2009. Oman`s skies are an absolute haven for stargazers and between the dates of 12-19 December 2009 you can look forward to a bird`s eye view of the Geminid meteor shower.

The Geminid meteor shower comes during moonless nights and in slower and heftier lumps than other meteor showers, so the trails are longer lasting. The Oman skies provide unparalleled clarity due to a lack of cloud cover and absence of light pollution.

Historian and astronomer Owen Mostyn-Owen will guide guests through the constellations. There will be star charts, binoculars, planispheres and special torches provided as well as a tripod equipped with a motor drive that compensates for the earth’s rotation, for digital cameras. Mostyn-Owen, who graduated from Edinburgh University in astrophysics and studied at the Royal Observatory, will also give informal talks on the history of humankind’s relationship with the heavens, from the Egyptian gods to lunisolar calendars and Hellenistic myths.

The luxury desert camp will spend three nights on a remote beach before moving inland to a meteor strike site. The spacious white canvas tents are stylishly furnished with Egyptian cotton sheets, Omani rugs and hand woven matting. There are separate tented shower and wash areas with cotton towels. A ‘majlis’ tent will be lit by oil lamps and candlelight and guests will be able to relax on cushions while browsing through books and charts. Dinner is served under the night sky. By day, guests can swim, snorkel, walk and listen to informal talks.

The seven night stargazing camp costs £1,980 per person including six nights camping with all meals and drinks and one night in a hotel with breakfast. Astronomical guiding, talks, activities and transfers are included. The price excludes flights. Book with cazenove+loyd