NESTLED beside the Chiricahua Mountains, about 400 kilometres from the city of Phoenix, is a village that attracts astronomers, amateur stargazers and photographers from around the world. They are drawn there by the spectacular night sky, which can be seen thanks to the village鈥檚 鈥渘o outdoor light鈥� rule. Jack Newtown (below) came up with the idea of a purpose-built community for star lovers in 2001, and co-founded the 450-acre Arizona Sky village.
Photographer Fabian Weiss spent a week in the village last November, showing up every night at the doorsteps of several residents, including Jim Lamm and Fred Espenak (below). Espenak is a retired NASA astrophysicist and was one of the village鈥檚 first residents.
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Specialised stargazing gadgets are common in the village 鈥� Espenak鈥檚 home (below) has two domed observatories and a variety of telescopes.
Resident Rick Beno has one of the biggest telescope domes there (below). He hosts visiting school trips and teaches classes about the sky and stars.
鈥淚t was an interesting experience,鈥� Weiss says, 鈥渂ecause the normal rhythm was totally shifted: not much to do in daylight and endless hours at night.鈥�
Besides nebulas, galaxies and the Milky Way, Weiss saw a shooting star through his binoculars. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the most memorable memories from the trip,鈥� he says. 鈥淎ll of a sudden, the other planets felt so close, and I felt much more part of the universe than before.鈥�
Photographer
Fabian Weiss, Laif/eyevine
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淪targazers鈥� paradise鈥�
