When night time fell, and the arch of the Milky Way got here into sight above the Chinese model of “Route 66”. Astronomy photographer Dong Shuchang caught the most stunning second of the highway in the northwestern Chinese metropolis of Zhongwei.
Stargazing tourism is shining vivid in China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which administers Zhongwei, as the inland area has been making an attempt to domesticate itself right into a “hometown of stars” since final 12 months.
“Ningxia has many places where you can film starry skies, and the transportation is convenient,” stated Dong, 23, a local of Ningxia who has been named Astronomy Photographer of the Year by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, Britain.
Dry with scant rainfall, Ningxia enjoys round 300 sunny and positive days per 12 months and low ranges of sunshine air pollution. Convenient transportation and considerable landscapes that includes mountains and deserts add to its rising status as a star remark web site.
Last 12 months, Ningxia began to develop its stargazing tourism scene. A pentagram-shaped lodge was constructed in Shapotou Scenic Area in Zhongwei, a desert vacationer vacation spot.
The star-themed lodge, along with its delicacies, performances and lectures associated to astronomy, has turn into a rage amongst vacationers from southern areas of China. “In peak season, no room is available in the hotel,” stated Wu Zhanjun, a advertising and marketing supervisor.
“Starry skies can ‘add bright colours’ to the traditional tourism resources in northwestern areas. Currently, Ningxia is exploring tourism products and service standards involving deserts and astronomy, and the construction of several star observation camps is on the top of our agenda,” stated Liu Jun, head of the regional division of tradition and tourism.
With the growth of China’s astronomy training and the house trade, there was a rising curiosity in stargazing amongst Chinese folks. Statistics present that greater than 30,000 astronomy lovers and photographers rush to Ningxia yearly.
However, in contrast with New Zealand and Japan, China’s stargazing tourism continues to be in the incipient levels. There is a dearth of tourism locations with full supporting services and mature advertising and marketing channels.
This is why artwork designer Xu Bo gave up his job in Shanghai and returned to his hometown in Ningxia, the place he arrange an organization devoted to stargazing tourism tasks. Xu and his colleagues arrange stargazing camps, carried out livestreaming periods, and designed travelling routes.
“Stargazing tourism is not a simple trip,” Xu stated. “We livestreamed major astronomical phenomena and published popular science articles to let more people know Ningxia through its starry skies.”
China has a powerful basis for astronomy and the most superior communication applied sciences. Xu hopes to make Ningxia a great place for stargazers and astronomy lovers at dwelling and overseas.
To allow stargazers to get extra skilled steering in Ningxia, the first batch of 40 astronomy tour guides had graduated and began to work in September.
Liu Pushun, 40, is one in all them. Under innumerable stars, he talked about information of the constellation, and gave each vacationer an opportunity to share their tales with starry skies. Some folks cried, some received excited, and a few fell into silence.
Many stargazers determined to make a change in life after the journey, Liu stated. “What has prompted the change is not the trip itself, but the opportunity to empty themselves and come to know their invisible selves.” – Xinhua
