Al Sadeem Astronomy first opened in July 2016 and is located in the middle of the desert in Al Wathba South, Abu Dhabi.
Their observatory is fitted with professional astronomical equipment and gives space enthusiasts a great opportunity to observe the galaxy, with very little to no light pollution.
How To Book
You can view their Instagram Page for available visit dates and times. In order to book a visit, fill out their online Contact Us form and Al Sadeem Astronomy will get in touch with you to confirm your booking.
For any questions regarding your visit or booking, you can email them directly via info@alsadeemastronomy.ae.
When To Go
Visits are on Mondays through to Saturdays, as their observatory is closed on Sundays. You will need to book your visit in advance.
Walk-ins will not be accepted at this privately-run observatory and camping is not allowed on their property before or after your visit.
Our visit started at 6:30pm. Al Sadeem Astronomy will confirm your exact start time at the time of your booking.
It’s best to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your start time. Tours run between 2-3 hours, depending upon how many questions are asked on the night.
Costs Involved
Prices are AED200 for adults, AED50 for visitors 12 – 17 years old and it's free for visitors under the age of 11 years old.
How To Get There
Once Al Sadeem Astronomy confirm your booking, they will then send you detailed instructions on how to find their observatory.
They don’t recommend that you follow the ‘default’ fastest route on Google Maps, as it will lead you to a muddy road towards the back of their property, so it's best to follow their instructions.
Tips For Your Visit
You can pay in dirhams either via bank transfer before your booking or in cash once you arrive at their observatory.
There is a carpark near the entrance and toilets can be found inside the observatory.
This experience is suitable for children and adults of all ages.
What To Expect
Upon arriving at Al Sadeem Astronomy, you will attend a brief space and astronomy presentation, followed by a video on the UAE’s Space Program and Mars Mission.
Then you will go upstairs to the 2nd level of their observatory, which is fitted with a 16-inch telescope mounted in the centre.
After your inside observatory visit, you will then go outside to do some more stargazing. You’ll be able to view the universe through an impressive range of their high-end telescopes, set up by Al Sadeem Astronomy for your visit.
In the winter months, the temperature outside in the desert at night can get a bit chilly, so we recommend bringing some warmer clothing along for your visit.
After your visit, Al Sadeem Astronomy will email you the images of space that you saw on the night, such as the moon or specific star clusters.
Below are the images that Al Sadeem Astronomy sent us after our visit.
The first image provided by Al Sadeem Astronomy was of the moon.
The second image provided by Al Sadeem Astronomy was of the Orion Nebula.
The final image provided by Al Sadeem Astronomy was of the Messier 46 Star Cluster.
What's Unique
Al Sadeem Astronomy is the UAE’s first privately-run space Observatory.
The Verdict
It was a lot of fun to look through their high-end telescopes to observe the wonders of the night sky and to feel like a professional stargazer! It's also great that this experience is suitable for children and adults of all ages, so you can bring along the whole family!
We loved our visit so much, that we'd love to go back another time of the year, to see the moon in a different phase!
Sounds like fun? Don’t just take our word for it, experience it for yourself.
Be inspired to start or add to your very own bucket lists.
You can also click here for more unique bucket list ideas in the UAE!
Above prices & information correct as of October 2021.
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