Stargazing Picnic at the Taalmonument Picnic & Braai

Stargazing Picnic at the Taalmonument

Stargazing enthusiasts should not miss the first Stargazing Picnic of the season at the Afrikaanse Taalmonument on Paarl Mountain on Saturday 29 October 2016. At these picnics visitors can discover the night skies with the help of the Orion Observation Group (OOG), an informal stargazing club from the Boland.

The theme for the evening is “Mars is saddled up”. The picnic starts at 18:00. A guided tour of the Monument starts at 18:30. From 20:00 to 22:30 visitors can watch the skies through telescopes under the guidance of OOG members.

Visitors are welcome to bring their own picnic baskets or they can order one from Volksmond Coffee Shop (tel. 021 863 2800). Volksmond will be open for coffee and light refreshments. No dogs and fires are allowed. Safe parking is available and access is controlled. Visitors are advised to bring along binoculars and warm clothes. No smoking is allowed on the lawns.

Tickets are R35 for adults and R10 for children (available from Computicket). Tickets are also available at the gate, but pre-booking is essential in order to make sufficient provision for telescopes. To book, call tel. 021 863 0543/4809. Stargazing Picnics will be cancelled if the weather is bad. For weather enquiries, call 072 181 6744.

Stargazing Picnics will also take place on 26 November and 17 December 2016. In 2017, Stargazing Picnics will take place on 21 January, 18 February and 25 March.

The picnic series is presented in aid of the Taalmuseum’s reading project for children, Let’s Read! Visitors are encouraged to bring along a new or secondhand children’s book in support of the project.

Photo: Louis Fourie of OOG sets up his telescope during a Stargazing Picnic at the Taalmonument. At the back, from left to right, are Jerome Dumas of Paarl, Amy Horn of Macassar and Alroy Visser from the Strand. In front are Tony Visser and Leanne Europa, also from Strand.