Through the faint sound of jovial laughter and party music on a still Saturday night, we stepping into the astro amphitheater of the Sutherland Planetarium. Conveniently located in the centre of town, this is South Africa’s only privately owned Digital Planetarium in South Africa and home to 2 outdoor telescopes for immaculate stargazing.
Where is Sutherland?
Tucked just inside the Northern Cape, Sutherland is home to SALT (Southern Africa Large Telescope) and Rogge Cloof, one of our favourite eco friendly stays to date. The town is 1.45 kilometers above sea level and has little to no active street lights – purposefully reducing light pollution and contributing towards the town’s reputation for dark, clear skies.
TOP TIPS
- Check the Weather. I was lucky on this occasion because I had NOT checked the weather. Cloudy skies - no view. Make sure you book on a clear night!
- Check-in to your hotel early. Before the start of the show as Sutherland truly is very dark and unpacking the car in the light will be helpful.
- Dress warmly. Even though the night was still, it gets extremely cold in Sutherland so being as warm as possible is best.
- Eat before the show. Unless you're self-catering, I suggest eating before the show as finding a warm meal at 9:15pm may be tricky.
- Find snacks at the local cafe. We had eaten but walked down to the Indian cafe to grab a slab of chocolate, or two ;)
- Charge your iPhone. You will be able to take images from the telescope thanks to the guide's help so make sure your phone is charged.
- Lack of reception. There is little to no reception on your way into Sutherland for the last 80kms. Communicate with anyone important ahead of time, if required.
Universe Gazing at the Sutherland Planetarium
Spending the evening with Annelie and Frank, an elderly couple from George, South Africa – and William, our local guide, strangers became curious friends as the marvel of the universe drew us into the night. With free, warm lap blankets, we were kept snuggly between turns looking into the telescope.
Our guide, William, was excellent. I asked if he had been a scientist, due to his extensive knowledge, and he shared he had been a teacher. Having grown up in Sutherland all of his life, it was his passion to share his knowledge of the skies.
What We Saw
Telescope stargazing is available at the planetarium and this is what we thoroughly enjoyed. We were shown the moon, stars, constellations, clusters and nebula – all absolute exquisite and worth viewing.
I do wish I had written down all the things we had seen as they were really beautiful. We looked at one cluster that had over a million stars, incredible. We also saw the moon up close – which was wonderful and creepy at the same time as some of the craters had little points in them that made me feel like they were alien antenna and that just gave me the heebie jeebies.
Which Telescope is Used
The use of their 11″ and 14″ telescopes is restricted to one – we used the 11″ and when I enquired why (not a critisicm but rather a curiosity), we were informed that it depends on the amount of light in the sky. If it’s very bright, the 11″ will serve perfectly, if it’s darker and more “help” required, the 14″ comes into play.
What I appreciated was the use of a single chair with purpose – William positioned a chair in such a fashion that the back of the chair was used as a handrail, opposed to everyone having to sit down and get up and sit down and get up, to see the sights. Using the chair as a handrail was far more effective and allowed the tour to run far more smoothly.
Shows versus Experiences at Sutherland Planetarium
The Sutherland Planetarium website is slightly misleading as it includes YouTube videos of large telescopes, indicating that these may be the experiences on offer. These are not present at the planetarium and expectations should be managed accordingly. These videos are features broadcast at the planetarium and are not bookable experiences (for example, you can not tour SALT).
Closing Thoughts
Show times are from 8pm from April – September 20:00 and from 20:30pm from October to March (later in the summer months). The Planetarium also has a little kiosk so if you’d like a snack or a drink before starting, you are welcome to grab it here.
As a non-science person, I really enjoyed the planetarium experience because it was short and sweet, super informative and comfortable. After the experience we returned to our accommodation at Hek se Huisie (all of 200m away) and lit a fire, got into bed with the electric blankets and snuggled in for the evening. Would highly recommend.
