The Geminids are Coming! A perfect time to sample a stargazing tour
Jervis Bay Stargazing guides Dimitri and Caroline meets guests in Plantation Point Park, Vincentia. Photo: Robert King
Mark your stargazing calendar, there’s a meteor shower coming! That’s the Geminids, an annual event that promises to be a an extra-special one this year.
The absolute best way to experience and learn about these sky-high phenomena is with a bona fide doctor of astrophysics right here at Plantation Point in Vincentia. Dr Dimitri Douchin, and his partner Caroline, are expert tour guides of the stars – and planets, and chunks of rock and dust that streak across the darkness like natural fireworks, aka meteor showers.
I was lucky enough to join a tour last month, and I am already planning several more with family and friends who can’t wait to come along – perhaps some Christmas gift vouchers will appear in their stockings…
But first, my recent tour… It’s a mild November evening just after sunset, as we peer into a partly cloudy sky and quietly wonder if tonight’s stargazing will go ahead. A light soaking of rain materialised in the late afternoon, and the cloud cover hasn’t entirely moved on. But tour guides Dimitri and Caroline seem confident that the clear patch of sky over the sea will yield some interesting viewing so we traipse along into Plantation Point park towards the telescope and a semi-circle of comfy camping chairs kindly placed there earlier by our guides.
Tonight’s gazers are a mix of south coast locals and Sydneysiders, all eager to discover what’s up there beyond the twinkling visible to the naked eye.
Speaking of twinkling, that’s where Dimitri starts the nuts and bolts of gazing. The non-twinklers, ie the planets, are on display tonight.
At this time of the year the planets make their best appearances. We have the ringed wonder of Saturn and the giant Jupiter and several of its moons for our viewing pleasure. In the winter months it’s the stars’ turn, especially the Milky Way which looks spectacular across the southern skies.
Dimitri has a couple of pairs of astronomical binoculars that we pass around while he tells us about the movement of the planets. They are very hard to hold still – even my heartbeat seems to wiggle them enough to render the vision a blur. Dimitri suggests using the camping chair armrests to steady the binoculars and that makes a big difference.
Dimitri uses red lights and laser pointers to help orientate us around the night skies. Photo: Rachael Tagg
When it’s my first go looking through the big telescope, it’s set on Jupiter and four of its moons. Amazingly, the detail of orange bands across the planet are visible and it feels kinda magical to see something with my own eyes that is only familiar from images.
When we move the telescope onto Saturn, it’s even more magical. There’s something about those rings that makes me feel overwhelming awe and like a tiny speck all at once.
The human connection with the skies, Dimitri tells us, is called ‘cultural astronomy’ – it’s the study of ways that human societies have given meaning and stories to the planets and stars – and it’s an area of study that has fascinated our guide since childhood. While undertaking his PhD, Dimitri shared an office with fellow astrophysicist Duane Hamacher, who was completing his PhD in Cultural Astronomy at the same time, and is now a preeminent figure in Australian Aboriginal astronomy and culture. Both have given inspiring TED talks, which you can find online and I highly recommend them.
Back to right now, in the sky this weekend will be the annual Geminids meteor shower – one of three major such events that happen each year. The tours in the Blue Mountains for this event were booked out months ago, but here in Jervis Bay there are still a few spots left. Dimitri and Caroline keep their socials updated so it’s best to check there for the latest tour information. Bookings can be made online on their website.
https://www.facebook.com/jervisbaystargazing
https://www.jervisbaystargazing.com.au/
