Dubai: In an attempt to make Dubai a destination for “astronomy tourism,” the Dubai Astronomy Group is planning two more projects that will complement the Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre.
Hassan Al Hariri, the CEO of the Dubai Astronomy Group (DAG) which runs the Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre in Mushrif Park, told Gulf News that a ‘dark sky astronomy resort park’ will be built in Al Marmoum and a national observatory named Al Suhail in Hatta.
Al Hariri said after completion of all the projects, Dubai will become a centre of innovations and a destination for astronomy tourism in the region. He said people would come to Dubai to experience the unique opportunities of exploring the sky through these three facilities.
The Al Marmoum astronomy park will have a resort exclusively for stargazers to enjoy the beauty of the nature in the middle of a conservation area, Al Hariri said.
The big observatory, to be located on top of a mountain, will give another dimension to the beauty of the Hatta mountains, with access planned through cable cars, he said.
He said the executive office of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had already given the green signal for the Al Marmoum project while approval for the Hatta project is awaited.
The DAG also has plans to set up a Meteorite Centre exclusively for its huge collection of meteorites, some of which are 4.5 billion years old and collected from different places where meteor showers had taken place.
