Stargazing Session

Stargazing Session

Activity held at our Official Dark Sky Observatory in the village of Cumeada. The session takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes and consists of a guided tour of the night sky, aided by powerful telescopes and, the assistance of a professional guide. Expect to see constellations, nebulae, clusters, distant galaxies, planets, comets, binary systems, coloured stars and more.

Held from Tuesday to Saturday, with previous booking, taking into account the phases of the Moon and the month of the year for the kind of observation intended, the weather conditions and the observatory availability on the date and time proposed.

There are two sessions per day, generally one in Portuguese and one in English.

Schedule:

Stargazing sessions from Tuesdays to Saturdays.

The time of the session depends on the time of sunset and daylight savings. As a general rule, the first session begins approximately 1 hour after sunset.

Prices:

Ages 13 and above:

25,00€ / person all year round except for May, June, July, August, and September.

30,00€ / person in May, June, July, August, and September.

Ages 8 to 12:

10,00€ / person all year round.

Ages 7 and lower: Free.

Frequently asked questions:

• In case the weather is bad, what do we do?

Should the weather conditions not favour a session with telescopes, the activity is not cancelled. We offer the option to have an indoors session, inside the auditorium in our HQ. however, participation is always optional, and should you prefer, and depending on vacancies, the reservation can be rescheduled to a different day. During the reservation we store your phone contact so we can reach out to you directly and keep you up to date on the current weather situation. Sometimes we can only be sure right before the session so if you don’t hear from us, it’s because we are not sure.

• Why do you need my phone number for the reservation?

We will not bother you with annoying marketing messages. Your contact information is just so we have a way to contact you directly should the weather conditions be adverse, for a normal stargazing session.

• How far in advance should I make my reservation?

We recommend scheduling at least 1 month in advance to guaranty a spot.

• Is there an ideal time of year to look out for?

There is no ideal time of year, but there is an ideal time of the month. To have a full dark sky experience, avoid scheduling for days close to the full Moon date. The Moon reduces sky contrast, making diffuse objects, such as nebulae and galaxies, harder to spot through a telescope.

• I don’t know when is the best time, what do I do?

In the scheduling form, under ”More information”, just write down the month you are interested in and we will reply back with the best date depending on availability.

• If I schedule for a day with Moon in the sky, will I have a bad experience?

No. Our guides are more than prepared to deal with the setbacks of the Moon and are fully capable of giving you a great experience. We have some surprises in store that we only show on these days. Plus, you’ll see the Moon through a telescope!

• I want to see galaxies, when should I go?

Spring is the best time to see galaxies, hence the nickname, “galaxy season”. From late March to mid-June.

• I want to see planets, when should I go?

The planets change position from year to year so there is no concrete way to answer this question. Send us an e-mail with the planet you want to see, and we will give you a good date to see it.

• I have a star registered to my name, can I see it?

Maybe! Send us a copy of the document with the coordinates of the star and our observatory will analyse it and check if the star is visible from our location. If it is, we will reply with a good date to see it through our telescopes. If you wish the have a photo of the star, is it possible, but needs to be booked in advance with our astrophotographer.

• Do I need to know astrophysics to understand and participate in the session?

No! The sessions are very accessible, don’t expect a lecture in Astrophysics 101. The concepts are touched in a very simple and accessible way so everyone can understand and, you can always interrupt to make questions should you have any. The sessions are very interactive and dynamic.

• Is the activity recommended for children?

It Depends. If your child is very interested in the subject, then yes. Otherwise, for some children the late hour of the activity, and the difficulty in observing some of the targets through the telescope, which can cause a lack of interest.