Sondela Stargazing Excursions

During the December holiday, stargazing excursions are being presented at Sondela every Wednesday evening. These excursions depart at around 18h30 from the Reception parking area. A short game drive is conducted on the way to the “Springbok flats” area, during which basic orientation is explained. After sunset the focus turns to the skies and certain constellations are pointed out with a laser pointer and discussed. During this time of year, the constellation of Orion is particularly easy to find. Other constellations such as Crux (the Southern Cross), Taurus (the Bull) and Canis Major (the Large Dog)become visible soon after sunset. The moon is currently waxing and will be full on the 25^th of December 2015, Christmas Day. The last time this happened was almost 40 years ago and another full moon will not be visible on December 25 until 2034.