Prepared by the B&W Sahara Sky Hotel website team; hotel operating details require confirmation.
When is the sky darkest?
Around the new moon, when the moon is absent or a thin crescent, the sky is darkest and the Milky Way is easiest to see. A bright moon washes out faint stars, so check the moon phase when you choose your dates.
What can I see?
On a clear dark night you can see thousands of stars, the band of the Milky Way, planets and bright star clusters, and with a telescope details such as lunar craters. What is visible depends on the season and the time of night.
What should I bring?
Bring warm layers because desert nights cool quickly, a hat, a small torch with a red light so your eyes stay adapted, and patience: your eyes need about twenty minutes in the dark to see faint stars. A star-map app on your phone helps you identify what you see.
Tips for photographing the night sky
Use a tripod, a wide lens and a long exposure of several seconds, and shoot away from the hotel lights. Phones with a night mode can capture the stars on a still night. Turn off the flash and avoid shining lights towards other guests.
Arranging stargazing at the hotel
The hotel has telescopes for stargazing. Tell the hotel your dates and ask when the sky is best during your stay, what it can arrange and whether there is a cost. Stargazing can be combined with a desert outing or an evening at the hotel.
Who is this guide for?
Use this guide to prepare for a stargazing night. It gives general advice, not a forecast; ask the hotel about arrangements and conditions for your dates.