Astronomer's job is not easy, but sometimes, you don't need fancy equipment to enjoy the stars. (Illustrative photo) (source: Vladimír Šimíček, TASR)
Travel
Stargazing
The stargazing season is here. The sky above Slovakia will soon be filled with shooting stars, the Perseid meteor shower and planets aligning. One of the best places to admire the sky is the observatory in the High Tatras on Lomnický Peak. At 2,634 metres above sea level, the astronomical observatory is currently the highest publicly open space to look at the sky up close.
The observatory opened it gates to the public just recently. You’ll be able to observe the sun’s corona from there between 8:00 and 16:00. The observatory is not the only thing in the area to enjoy – the landscape sights are well worth the trip. To reach the Tatra’s second highest peak, use the cableways. Starting from Tatranská Lomnica, you will find a six-seat orange cableway that will take you to a stop in between stations. From there, take the 15-seat gondola to the tarn Skalnaté Pleso. The tarn is a great stop for a trip and maybe a short hike as well. The last part of the journey up high is the red cableway, taking visitors directly to Lomnický Peak in under ten minutes.
Don’t forget to book your tickets! If you’re having difficulties, you can watch the video on how to get them on the official High Tatras website.
When stargazing, always look for places with low light smog. (source: Ján Krošlák, SME)
Catching the Milky Way
Even though the High Tatras are the birthplace of some stunning astro-photos, it is not the only place to enjoy the night sky. There are three “parks of dark skies” (Park tmavej oblohy) in Slovakia that allow astronomy enthusiasts and star lovers to see the Milky Way. All of the places are out of the reach from any lights, therefore there is little to no light smog clouding the view.
One of them is in the national park Poloniny located in eastern Slovakia, which is the best spot for seeing the darkest, the most clear sky above Slovakia. Ideal spots are on meadows outside of forests. Be careful to prepare accordingly – pack warmer clothes just in case and beware of wild animals. The naked eye can catch more than 2,000 stars without the need of any stargazing equipment.
Enjoying the Perseid meteor shower
The other two parks of dark skies are located in Horné Kysuce in western Slovakia and Veľká Fatra in northern Slovakia. Both of them require no equipment to enjoy the sky above. They are also suitable for watching space phenomena. On August 1, star lovers will be able to fully enjoy the so called super full-moon. In August there will also be the Perseid meteor showers to enjoy. Visible throughout the whole month, the highest visibility will be on the night from August 13 to August 14.
If you do bring any equipment, the parks are also a great place to watch planets align at the right time.
The whole picture
The get the whole picture of the night sky, also try out Chopok, which even NASA themselves admired. For tamer adventures, there are also altogether five observatories with a planetarium in Slovakia. There are more observatories in Slovakia too, but without the planetariums.
The planetariums are in Hlohovec, Žiar nad Hronom, Hurbanovo, Košice and Prešov.
Slovakia is full of observatories and planetariums. (source: Vladimír Šimíček, TASR)
TIP: How will you feel after hiking up to Horné Kysuce or Poloniny? Here's the vocabulary to describe heat discomfort in Slovak - in a fun way.
Exhibitions
Mukbang, my dear
Opulence and food are the main theme of a new exhibition in the Ján Koniarek Gallery in Trnava. Artist Mara Novak spins around the concept of mukbang videos watched by millions. Mukbang is a kind of eating show, often with large amounts of food involved. Novak has created a photo montage out of mukbang videos and put them into pseudo-artifacts in the art cycle Mukbang, my dear.
Other than the mukbang fest, visitors will be able to enjoy the exhibition Insiders portraying contemporary figurative drawings and paintings. The exhibition is a cooperation with the Olivier Waltman Galerie in Paris.
Archivist of Hybrids
Where does nature end and advanced material starts? Author Ľudmila Machová asks the question in her exhibition Archivist of Hybrids that takes place in the Medium Gallery, in Bratislava, joined by the exhibition Footnote on the Temporary Matter II.
Somebodies, somewheres, somethings
Last but not least, Bratislava Castle is also dabbling in art. There, you will find a cooperative work of photography students and students of new media titled Somebodies, somewhere, somethings. The authors explore the topics behind shallow social-media photos, photography communicating with the public and how representation in photography changes our perceptions.
Bratislava Castle is often open for exhibitions. (Illustrative photo) (source: Tomáš Benedikovič, SME)
TIP: The history of wine in Slovakia is vast. Read more about what Slovaks used to prefer.
Activities
Bridges
Artists from the United States and Slovakia have teamed up for an evening full of dancing and music in the project Mosty Medzi Nami (Bridges Between Us) which will come to fruition on July 25 in the community centre Záhrada in Banská Bystrica.
Folk and world music
To get the taste of experimental yet traditional Slovak music, concert seekers will be glad to catch the band Dis Is Markéta live in Liptovský Mikuláš. In a community space of Diera Do Sveta, the band will offer some tunes from their debut EP, which combines electro music, experimenting and Slovak folk. Dis Is Markéta will play at July 27, starting at 20:00.
TIP: Hot summer makeover waits for Muráň Castle. Other parts of the castle will soon join the tower building with proper roofing.
Upcoming events
September 12 – September 17. Piešťany. The international movie festival Cinematik will return to the spa town with a fresh brew of movie titles from Cannes, Sundance and more. Learn more about the festival here.
August 1. Košice. Sunnbrlla and Shallov will come together in a joined show, performing their latest hits. Get the tickets here.
The Festival Cinematik brings indie titles, movies from global film festivals and more. (source: Marko Erd, SME)
BEFORE YOU GO
WHAT TO BE POSITIVE ABOUT: A traditional Slovak meal named zemiakové placky- a thin potato-based pancake with grease - titled the best snack in Europe. Read more of positive news from Slovakia.
WHAT TO DO IN BRATISLAVA: Pride parade returns with all its colours and glory, promenade comes to life with concerts, coronation celebrations will open for locals and foreigners. Here's what to do in Bratislava this week.
WHAT TO DO FOR FREE: Fancy a youth festival or a nice hike? Have fun without spending anything.
That's it for this week. Take care, and have a restful weekend!
-Mária
Do you have any tips? You can reach Mária at maria.jurikova@spectator.sk
