Ditch Mumbai's chaos to indulge in this stargazing experience in Bhandardara

A view from the camp at Kalsubai. pics courtesy/Sarfaraz Baghdadi

In polluted cities like Mumbai it's impossible to find stars in the sky. The smog created by the mixture of smoke and fog blurs the possibility of finding the stars in the night. But there are places in the outskirts of the city where you can stargaze. Treks And Trails, a Mumbai based agency will be organising a stargazing experience in Bhandardara. They will provide telescopes and have experts onsite.

Participants use a telescope to see celestial bodies at a previous stargazing camp

Sarfaraz Baghdadi, the founder of the agency, says, "Milky Way photography is possible from February to May in Maharashtra around the new moon. Bhandardara has a good dark night sky and relatively less night light pollution. You need a tripod and mobile phone or DSLR with a long exposure to click the image. You also need to know the time it rises and which direction it is possible to find it using stargazing apps like Stellarium. We teach guests how to click their pictures as the camera is able to capture more light using a long exposure. It looks different from naked eyes."

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A clear night sky photograph from a previous session

He adds, "We carefully choose our campsites away from villages and resorts to minimize light pollution and ensure a truly dark sky experience. Summer offers clearer skies, making it the ideal season for capturing stunning night sky photographs, including the Milky Way."

Sarfaraz Baghdadi

ON April 19; 11 am
At Samrad village, near Sandhan Valley, Bhandardara.
CALL 8828004949
COST Rs 1,699 onwards