Southern Hemisphere Observing Trips

[Ernie Ostuno]

I am in Michigan, USA and have been wanting to do a southern hemisphere trip for a while. Has anyone been on a stargazing trip to either Chile or Namibia? Those are the two places I'd like to go and need info on where/how to book a trip. Ideally, it would be a site that is specialized in astronomy and has a telescope available for viewing. Thanks.

[wvreeven]

Has anyone been on a stargazing trip to either Chile or Namibia?

I work for Rubin Observatory (formerly LSST) and have a 12" and 20" dob in Chile. PM me and I can give you info.

Wouter

[Dragan]

Ernie,

You should really consider the Oz Sky Star Safari in Coonabarabran Australia. It's exactly what you're looking for.

[Ernie Ostuno]

Sent you a message.

[Hakann]

I always wanted to go to Chile.
My trip to Oz Sky -17 was amazing but if a higher/dryer observations Chile has been on my list for southern sky.
Ex east of LaSerna at Vicuna is a place call Pangue that has a 25” Obsseion.
Its’ not that far from Santiago.
I guess area is decent dark but its only 30 miles to LaSerna.
But its also further north east from Antoafgasta near San Pedro a place call Space Obs at Atacama.
I think they also has 25” but I think they also has 60”.
I had plans for a big as I could go and be light ( portable ) but forgot those plans.
After around 10 years in visual astronomy I has learn what I like to observe and its faint stuff so I need a dark sky and bigger the better and not cold climate.
Here in Sweden I has 30” but this place is not for DS the way I like it.
Travel is nice but it is always a chance ( and I been travell around the world ) as Australia, USA east and west ( OSP and Stellafane ) and Austria alps, Germany, LaPalma ( Canaries/Spain ) south Sweden etc but not Chile.
Plus in my years in the hobby 3-4 years did wipe out of the plandemic.
So as many trips has been to LaPalma ( 7 times ) I always loved that green iland.
Its not that easy get the best nights even if they put the worlds bigger telescope on vulcano at over 2.000 meters. The iland is small, people grooving in numbers and light polution get worse by the years, plus its always hard to see to south and at west to oscean it always hazy and way up.
If going to top of vulcano its hard get a good place and cars run cross iland even nights and it can be real windy and winter it can be snow and very cold.
I alwas been at west side and its hard get a perfect seeing. I guess of turbulance but the good thing its really nice sky and be at say 600-900 meters its always nice temperature even winter time. Summer its also hours of DS, as here in Sweden 4 moth goes away as to light ( I’m at 60 degree )
So LaPalma has always payed off.
So sum up this, I need to accept Sweden from what it is ( very few decent night/year ) plus I cant stand winter…
So my idea is hold my hobby up ( Ok I has the 30” Lockwood ) until I retire, then I will focus on get a 36” to LaPalma, maybe set up a smaller astro camp where people can rent the scope ( me as a guide ofcourse )
But if I travell futher, it shore is Chile on that list.
I heard a bigger Dob way over 30” will maybe be there made in USA but I has not got much of information for several years
But if that would be possible observe, I go there any day !