The Apoi Starry Sky Observation events are hosted by Hotel Apoi Sanso about twice a month and are led by Mt. Apoi Geopark certified guides. Here is a look at the event held on Saturday, August 12^th.

It was overcast on August 12^th when 15 participants showed up for a Starry Sky Observation event. We all sat together in a meeting room at Hotel Apoi Sanso while our guides, Mr. Shimada and Mr. Abe, gave a presentation about the night sky and what stars and constellations are visible this time of year. The explanations not only covered various constellations but also introduced the Ainu constellation names and meanings.

This event was perfectly timed during the Perseids meteor shower which is commonly seen in August.


The last part of the indoor presentation taught us how Mt. Apoi is connected to space. Mt. Apoi is made of rare peridotite rock, and samples brought back from the Hayabusa space mission contained peridotite! The guides passed around a sample of peridotite and some meteorite pieces for everyone to look at.

Mr. Shimada quickly ran outside to check the weather and happily announced that some of the clouds had parted and we could see the stars. The hotel lent small flashlights to all the participants and we headed out past the parking lot and climbed up a small hill behind the hotel to a dark and open area.

The clouds parted and the stars and Milky Way came into view. The guides used a laser pointer to point out some of the stars and constellations that were previously introduced. We saw the swan, the summer triangle, and more. We even saw several meteors from the Perseids meteor shower streak across the sky.

Please check Hotel Apoi Sanso's website for future information about the Apoi Starry Sky Observation events.

https://www.apoi-sanso.co.jp/

We look forward to seeing you!