Starlight

At Camping Rendez-vous, the starry nights become an unforgettable experience, enchanting your senses.

We are avid stargazers ourselves and are always fascinated by the sheer infinity of stars that can be seen on a clear night here.

As the night falls and darkness slowly conquers the sky, a spectacle of infinite beauty unfolds over the campsite. The clear air and secluded location allow you to witness the sky in all its glory.

Especially during specific times of the year, during special meteor showers, you have the best conditions to observe numerous shooting stars. It is a truly magical moment when a shooting star glides across the night sky, and you can make a wish.

The Milky Way reveals itself in its full splendor, and you can recognize the constellations that have been telling stories for millennia. Here, at the "Million Stars Hotel," away from light pollution, you have the opportunity to experience the true magic of the universe.

Shooting stars, also known as meteors, are luminous phenomena in the sky that occur when cosmic dust or small rocks enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up.

Shooting stars can appear in various sizes, from tiny particles that only appear as brief light trails, to larger rocks that are visible as bright fireballs or even bolides in the sky.

Most shooting stars are part of meteor showers, which occur when the Earth crosses the orbit of a comet or asteroid. When the Earth intersects the dust trail of a comet, multiple shooting stars occur simultaneously. Some of the most well-known annual meteor showers include:

Perseids: The Perseids are one of the most famous and popular meteor showers visible every year in August. They are known for their impressive fireballs and high activity. The Perseids are associated with the constellation Perseus and originate from the comet Swift-Tuttle. It is not uncommon to see several meteors per minute during the peak of the Perseids.

Leonids: An annual meteor shower occurring in November. They are known for their fast and bright meteors seemingly radiating from the constellation Leo, hence the name Leonids. The Leonids are famous for moments of increased activity, where hundreds of meteors per hour can be observed.

Geminids: The Geminids are another spectacular meteor shower that takes place in December. They are known for their slow-moving, bright meteors appearing to come from the constellation Gemini. The Geminids are unique as they originate from an asteroid named 3200 Phaethon, rather than a comet.

Taurids: The Taurids are a long-lasting meteor shower visible in September, October, and November. The Taurids are known for their slow-moving, luminous meteors often referred to as "fireballs," sometimes leaving a long-lasting trail in the sky. Although the Taurids do not have high activity and are not clearly associated with a specific meteor stream, they are known for their spectacular individual meteors.

Shooting stars are a fascinating phenomenon often associated with wishes and luck. Many people observe them during meteor-active nights to enjoy the sight of these ephemeral and magical occurrences.

Every year, countless meteoroids collide with the Earth's atmosphere, and on certain nights, you can see individual shooting stars in the sky. These random events can happen at any time.

Therefore, it is worth keeping an eye on the night sky even outside of specific meteor showers. With a dark and clear environment, you have the best chances of observing shooting stars and delighting in these moments.

Various planets are regularly visible in the sky.

Particularly prominent are Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Venus often appears as a striking "Evening Star" or "Morning Star" and is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon. Mars stands out with its reddish glow. Saturn, with its rings, is an impressive sight through a telescope or even binoculars. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is brighter than most stars, and its moons can be seen without binoculars.

Sirius: Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and belongs to the constellation Canis Major. It is easy to identify and shines in a clear white color. Sirius is also known as the "Dog Star."

Arcturus: Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Bootes. It is highly visible in the spring and summer skies. Arcturus has a luminous orange appearance.

Vega: Vega is a bright star in the constellation Lyra. It is one of the vertices of the so-called Summer Triangle, which consists of the stars Vega, Deneb, and Altair.

Betelgeuse: Betelgeuse is a red giant star in the constellation Orion. It is one of the most prominent stars in this well-known winter constellation. Betelgeuse is known for its reddish color and variable brightness.

Regulus: Regulus is a bright star in the constellation Leo. It is also referred to as "Alpha Leonis." Regulus is a blue-white main-sequence star and one of the nearest stars to us. It is one of the stars in the so-called Spring Triangle, which consists of the stars Regulus, Arcturus, and Spica.

Polaris: Polaris, also known as the North Star, is an important celestial landmark. It is located in the constellation Ursa Minor and serves as a reference point for determining directions, especially the North.

Andromeda Galaxy: Also known as Messier 31 or M31, the Andromeda Galaxy is one of the most impressive galaxies in the night sky. It is located near our own Milky Way system and is the farthest object visible to the naked eye. The Andromeda Galaxy has a spiral structure similar to our Milky Way. It consists of a central core, well-defined spiral arm patterns, and a multitude of young stars, gas, and dust. Its immense size, beautiful appearance, and significance in cosmic history make it a captivating sight in the night sky.

A variety of visible constellations have captivated the imagination of people for centuries. Constellations such as Ursa Major (also known as the Big Dipper), Orion, Cassiopeia, and many others are easily recognizable and provide an opportunity to explore the stories and myths behind the constellations.

Ursa Major (Big Bear): Ursa Major is one of the most prominent and well-known constellations in the northern sky, also known as the Big Dipper. It consists of seven prominent stars that form a distinctive shape. This group of stars is easy to identify and can serve as a helpful guide to finding the North Star. By extending an imaginary line from the two outer stars of the Big Dipper's bowl, one can reach the North Star in Ursa Minor.

Ursa Minor (Little Bear): It is known for its "Little Dipper," which looks like a miniature version of Ursa Major. The North Star is located in Ursa Minor and can be seen as a bright, relatively isolated star near the northern celestial pole. The North Star serves as a reference point for navigation and remains relatively stable in its position while other stars in the sky appear to rotate around it.

Orion: Orion is a prominent winter constellation easily identified by its "belt" of three bright stars. It also contains the bright stars Betelgeuse and Rigel, as well as the famous Orion Nebula, which is visible to the naked eye as a hazy spot.

Cassiopeia: Cassiopeia, the distinctive W-shaped constellation found in the northern sky. It is named after the mythical queen Cassiopeia from Greek mythology. Cassiopeia is located near the northern celestial pole and is visible year-round from moderate to high latitudes. It consists of five bright stars that form the contours of this characteristic shape.

The Pleiades: Also known as the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades is a prominent open star cluster in the constellation Taurus. This star cluster consists of a group of young, hot stars that are relatively close to each other. The Pleiades is one of the most famous and easily recognizable star clusters in the sky. Usually, six to seven stars are visible to the naked eye, hence the name "Seven Sisters." However, with a telescope or binoculars, many more stars can be seen in this cluster, totaling hundreds in number.

Whether you're an experienced stargazer or simply enjoy gazing at the night sky, Kandersteg offers you many unforgettable moments under the twinkling stars. In this pristine environment, you will be amazed by a multitude of stars that gain clarity and brightness. Discover new constellations, spot distant galaxies, and let yourself be enchanted by the beauty of the universe.

Step into a world of endless stars and create memories that will accompany you for a lifetime. Welcome to an extraordinary journey into the infinite expanse of the starry sky!

We look at the same stars and see such different things - George R.R. Martin