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Shoot a meteor shower in Chile: how astrotourism has put stargazing on the travel map

Three-hour star trails of the North Star. Photo: Francis So

A dazzling display of cosmic fireworks stole the heart of Francis So in December 2015. The Hong Kong-based filmmaker, photographer and time-lapse artist had travelled to Hehuanshan in Taiwan solely to capture the Geminid meteor shower, one of the most spectacular events that can be viewed from Earth every year.

Astronomy is one of the world’s oldest natural sciences, and over the years, enthusiasts and scientists have continued to track and record magnificent sights, from meteor showers and the Northern Lights to solar eclipses. Evolving technology – from telescopes to photography – helps with the study of the stars, and has further propelled astronomy into a whole new area: tourism. Today, astrotourism is one of the fastest-rising travel trends.

So developed a keen interest in astrophotography six years ago and specialises in night sky photography – wide-field starscapes with various topography in the foreground, captured in locations around the world – and also leads astrophotography expeditions in Hong Kong and overseas. His expertise is evident in the four-minute hyper-lapse film Escape, which was shot in Hong Kong; it won him the platinum trophy at the International Independent Film Awards in 2017. “For me, taking landscape or starscape photos is a way to learn more about our planet,” says So. “I have to study the climate and weather data, which can help me take different kinds of photos. I do believe it is a way to communicate with nature.”

So believes the reason for the exponential growth in astrotourism – especially combined with photography – is fuelled by the easy availability of cameras and, of course, social media.

“It is not difficult to get a nice camera and lens to capture starscapes now. The other reason is social networking. People are sharing information, techniques and photos through different platforms. It gets more people involved.

As far as astrotourism is concerned, Chile has some of the clearest skies in the world, combined with astonishing natural beauty such as deserts, forests and glaciers
Daniela Fernández Rosso

“Most participants want to capture different kinds of wide field starscapes,” says So. “Some of them are into deep-sky astrophotography using a telescope.”

His frequent photography itineraries to Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand are often the result of collaborations with camera, mobile and sportswear companies, and include useful seminars on photography and travel. In Hong Kong, So likes to head to High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung, and Shek O, but he concedes that the city’s variable climate isn’t ideal for such pursuits.

“I have hosted a few classes in the past but the results are not good as the weather in Hong Kong during summer is unstable,” he says.

Worldwide, astrotourism is on the uptick in destinations such as New Zealand, Hawaii, the Canary Islands and, significantly, Chile, says Daniela Fernández Rosso, resident astronomer at the Catholic University of Chile.

According to Rosso, the South American country has 40 per cent of the world’s hi-tech scientific observatories, and the figure will rise to 70 per cent within the next decade.

“As far as astrotourism is concerned, Chile has some of the clearest skies in the world, combined with astonishing natural beauty such as deserts, forests and glaciers.”

Betina Chu, a Latin America specialist at luxury travel curator Scott Dunn, works with Rosso to curate stargazing experiences and eclipse travel programmes in Chile, agrees.

“The rise of astronomy tourism in Chile in particular [ …] has a lot to do with the country’s investment in research and world-class observatories. Total solar eclipses predicted for 2019 and 2020, which will be visible from various parts of the country, are also drawing interest to the area.”

According to Chu, one of the biggest incentives to travel to different places in search of a great stargazing experience is the widespread light pollution in cities and towns, making stargazing nearly impossible.

“Our guests are often amazed by that feeling of closeness to nature when they are in the remote vastness, without distractions or barriers between them and the sky,” Chu explains.

This year promises several exciting celestial events, among them a solar eclipse on July 2, which is expected to draw huge crowds to Chile and Argentina, premier locations from where the eclipse will be visible in full glory.

For a special view of this phenomenon, American astronomy magazine Sky & Telescope, which runs night-sky observation tours, has for this occasion partnered with LatAm Airlines to fly guests up to 37,000 feet on a charter jet off the Chilean coast. Departing from Santiago’s Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, the flight of two hours and 30 minutes is curated by Glenn Schneider, “the unrivalled master of mid-air eclipse intercepts”, according to S&T.

A solar eclipse is one of the grandest celestial happenings, drawing sky observers to faraway locations. Photo: Alamy

Online hospitality service Airbnb has almost 3,000 global listings offering telescope amenities, with the United States, France and Italy topping the charts. One home in Chile, in San Pedro de Atacama, is touted as one of the best locations to view the night sky.

Boosted by interest in astrotourism, Airbnb launched its Social Impact Experience in July last year in the Canary Islands, where up to six guests get to visit the Gran Telescopio Canarias (the world’s largest optical and infrared telescope) to witness Mars’ closest encounter with Earth in 15 years.

The surge in popularity for this genre of travel is not limited to any particular age group or country of origin, says Chu, although she points out that “the millennial generation is more interested in experiences that combine the mysteries of the skies, science and travel in remote destinations”. Travel operators such as Scott Dunn have climbed on the bandwagon, too, and are going beyond traditional offerings to provide a wide range of observation possibilities.

Our guests are often amazed by that feeling of closeness to nature when they are in the remote vastness, without distractions or barriers between them and the Earth
Betina Chu

“We offer simple sky observation trips – without the use of a telescope – led by guides who are trained to explain the skies to people new to astronomy, plus visits to observatories,” says Chu.

Other experiences include sighting planets and constellations through telescopes, coupled with “ancestral observations”. This is done through the interpretation of local Andean culture, like that of the Inca, who for centuries have practised astronomy and applied their knowledge to agriculture.

“The Kunza communities in northern Chile have their own interpretation of the skies and the Milky Way,” says Chu.

The Kunza, who are indigenous to the Atacama and the Altiplano region in northern Chile and Argentina, acknowledge various representations of animals from their day-to-day lives – such as the snake and the llama – in the constellations.

Scott Dunn also organises trips to private wineries that have their own telescopes, where guests can enjoy peering at the stars while sipping fine wines.

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Millennials are getting hooked on the photo opps that go with astronomy tourism, with destinations like New Zealand, Hawaii and the Canary Islands on the uptick