Exploring the Southern Skies at Hakos Astrofarm

From July 22 to July 25, we had the incredible opportunity to stay at Hakos Astrofarm in Namibia—a true paradise for amateur astronomers. The farm is located in one of the darkest regions on Earth, making it a dream destination for deep-sky observing.

Arrival and Weather

We arrived on July 22 under partly cloudy skies. Fortunately, the clouds cleared during the night, giving us a good start. The second night was absolutely stunning—perfect transparency and calm conditions. The third night, however, brought strong winds and deteriorating skies from the north. We had to stop early because the wind speed became too high for safe observing.

The Telescope Setup

For this trip, we rented an ICS 14.5-inch Dobsonian telescope, equipped with a fantastic set of eyepieces:

• 31mm Nagler
• 20mm Nagler (Type 2)
• 12mm Nagler (Type 2)
• 9mm Nagler
• 5mm Nagler

I brought my PiFinder, but couldn’t attach it to the telescope, so I relied on the Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas, a Telrad, and a right-angle 60mm finder for navigation.

Observing the southern hemisphere with such a large instrument was nothing short of amazing!

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Highlights from Our Observations

NGC 5139 – Omega Centauri

What an incredible sight!

• 31mm Nagler: The globular cluster dominated more than 1/5 of the field, resolved into countless fine stars.
• 20mm Nagler: Even better—over 1/4 of the field filled with stars, with two darker patches forming a “face” pattern.
• 12mm Nagler: The cluster nearly filled the view, with the “face” even more pronounced.
• 7mm Nagler: Total madness—needed multiple fields to see all the stars!
  For comparison, M13 was visible at the same time but looked tiny—barely 1/4 the size of Omega Centauri.

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NGC 5128 – Centaurus A

A bright, fairly large galaxy with a striking dust lane.

• 31mm Nagler: Nice sphere with two stars in the northern part.
• 20mm Nagler: Dust lane detail improved, and an extra star appeared inside it.
• 12mm Nagler: Galaxy looked more elongated, with faint outer regions.

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NGC 3372 – Eta Carina Nebula

Absolutely massive and breathtaking!

• 31mm Nagler: Entire field filled with nebula, divided by a dark dust lane.
• 20mm Nagler: Too large for the field, but Eta Carinae started showing detail.
• 12mm Nagler: Brightest part filled the view, with intricate bright and dark regions.

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Eta Carinae & Homunculus Nebula

• 31mm Nagler: Just a star.
• 20mm Nagler: Surrounded by nebulosity.
• 12mm Nagler: Elongated nebula visible.
• 7mm & 5mm Nagler: Two loops around Eta Carinae—looked truly 3D!

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Other Southern Gems

• IC 2602 (Southern Pleiades): Bright blue stars, similar to the Pleiades but less impressive.
• Melotte 101: Pentagonal shape with three brighter stars.
• NGC 6397: Loose globular cluster, asymmetric, better in higher magnification.
• NGC 104 (47 Tucanae): Stunning globular cluster with a bright core and well-resolved halo.
• SMC & Associated Objects: The Small Magellanic Cloud was low but revealed nebulae and clusters like NGC 346 and NGC 395.
• NGC 4945: Elongated galaxy with hints of spiral structure.
• NGC 4976, NGC 121, Kron 3: Small clusters and galaxies, each with unique character.

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Final Thoughts

Hakos Astrofarm is a must-visit for any serious stargazer. The combination of pristine skies, excellent equipment, and the sheer beauty of the southern hemisphere makes it unforgettable. Despite the windy last night, the experience was magical. Observing Omega Centauri, Eta Carina, and the Magellanic Clouds through a 14.5-inch telescope is something I’ll never forget.