Emirates Astronomical Observatory

🌙 Visual Astronomy Night

Join us for a guided evening under the stars at Emirates Astronomical Observatory. (LINK IN THE BIO)

With a beautiful waxing crescent Moon setting early in the evening, guests will have the opportunity to observe lunar craters and surface features before exploring the deeper universe through our telescopes.

Throughout the night, we will observe a selection of celestial wonders including star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, double stars, and the Milky Way stretching across the desert sky.

Guided by Prabhu, this family-friendly experience combines astronomy, storytelling, and telescope observing in one of the UAE’s premier dark-sky locations.

📅 20 June 2026
🕣 8:30 PM – 12:00 AM
📍 Emirates Astronomical Observatory – Razeen, Abu Dhabi

🎟 AED 125 per person
👨‍👩‍👧 Group Advantage: AED 100 per person for groups of 4 or more

🥤 Cold drinks included
🚻 Male & Female restroom facilities available
⭐ Family-friendly environment

Limited capacity to ensure a comfortable observing experience.

Experience the universe through the eyepiece of a telescope and discover why generations of astronomers have spent their lives looking up.

On May 5, 2026, Emirates Astronomical Observatory successfully captured a rare stellar occultation by the dwarf planet Haumea, one of the most distant known worlds in our solar system, located far beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt.

A stellar occultation occurs when a solar system object passes directly in front of a background star, temporarily blocking its light. By precisely measuring the drop in brightness over time, astronomers can study the object’s size, shape, possible rings, and even detect hidden moons.

The event required careful planning and timing precision. Using Stellarium and published occultation predictions, the target star coordinates and exact event timing were verified in advance to ensure the observatory system was synchronized for the narrow observation window.

To maximize photometric precision, exposure calculations were optimized around the brightness of the target star and the expected duration of the occultation. We selected 5-second exposures at Gain 0 on the Moravian C3-61000 monochrome camera to maximize the sensor’s full well capacity and preserve dynamic range during the rapid brightness transition.

The observation was carried out using the following scientific imaging system:

• Planewave CDK14 with reducer
• Moravian C3-61000 Mono (Sony IMX455 sensor)
• Luminance filter
• 10Micron GM2000 mount with high-precision encoder tracking
• Lunatico Dragonfly observatory controller

Image acquisition was automated and synchronized using N.I.N.A, allowing stable continuous imaging throughout the event. The resulting frames were then processed and analyzed in AstroImageJ, where differential photometry was used to generate the final light curve.

The recorded light curve clearly shows the dramatic drop in stellar brightness as Haumea passed in front of the star, followed by the recovery phase as the star re-emerged. Observations like these demonstrate how modern amateur and private observatories can contribute meaningful scientific data to planetary science and occultation research.

For less than 60 seconds… a distant world will erase a star. 🌌

On May 5, 2026 (00:15 AM UAE time), the dwarf planet Haumea will pass in front of a background star in a rare stellar occultation event.

This isn’t just something to watch — it’s something you can measure.

Even a single observation can contribute to real science:
✔ Refining orbital accuracy
✔ Studying shape & structure
✔ Detecting rings and features

At Emirates Astronomical Observatory, we’ll be capturing this event using our flagship setup:
🔭 PlaneWave CDK14
📷 Moravian C3-61000 Pro

And you can too.

Whether you’re an amateur or experienced observer, this is your chance to be part of a global scientific campaign.

📍 Check if you’re in the path
🕗 Prepare your setup
📡 Capture the data

Because sometimes… the smallest moments reveal the biggest discoveries.

Scientific details can be found in the link below:
https://lesia.obspm.fr/lucky-star/occ.php?p=156331

دعوة خاصة لأبطالنا ❤️

المرصد يرحب بكم مجانًا!

دخول مجاني لجميع منتسبي خط الدفاع الأول، القطاع العسكري، والدفاع المدني..

كل اللي عليك: تقدم بطاقتك العسكرية وتدخل، والباقي علينا!

شكرًا لتضحياتكم اللي ما تنتهي.. تعالوا نستقبلكم بكل فخر 🇦🇪💪

✨ Witness the magic of the skies! ✨
Join us at the Emirates Astronomical Observatory next Sunday at 7:00 PM for a spectacular lunar eclipse. 🌕🔭

🌘 The eclipse will unfold gradually through the evening — a rare chance to see Earth’s shadow dance across the Moon! Perfect for families, friends, and anyone who loves the night sky.

👨‍👩‍👧 Family-friendly evening
🔭 Observatory telescopes ready for you
🥤 Complimentary soft drinks & water
🚻 Toilets available

🎟️ Entry: 55 AED per adult
👧 Kids 10 & under: FREE

📍 Location: Emirates Astronomical Observatory (find us on Google Maps or via the link in our bio)

Don’t miss this chance to connect with the universe so make it a date with the stars! ✨🌌

LINK IN OUR BIO