Astrophotographs from Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani that are out of this world
Born in 1986 in the Czech Republic, astronomer and astrophotographer Petr Horálek has been featured more than 30 times by NASA, in their Astronomy Picture of the Day. Petr specialises in the outreach of modern astronomy, delivering talks to the public that demonstrate how amazing the Universe is, and what can be even seen by the naked eye. A celebrated astronomer, Petr even has an asteroid, 6822 orbiting between Mars and Jupiter, named after him.
A long route brought him also to Soneva Fushi in 2019, and this February, Petr returned to Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in the Maldives, to capture some stunning astrophotographs of the sparkling Maldivian night sky.
Astrophotography is the photography of astronomical objects, such as the moon, sun and stars. By working with extended exposure times, astrophotography is able to capture hundreds of thousands of occurrences, which are often invisible to the human eye.
The delights of astronomy are a special part of the rare experiences on offer at Soneva. Guests can wander in celestial glory, gazing at the night sky through the lenses of our state-of-the-art telescope. Tucked away from the lights of civilisation, our resident Astronomers introduce guests to the splendours of the galaxies that few have been fortunate to witness.
Retractable roofs in several of the Soneva Jani and Soneva Fushi villas mean that guests can gaze up at the night sky, from the comfort of their own abode.
The state-of-the-art observatory at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani offers a star-lit dining experience. Guests can sit back and enjoy great food and drinks as our in-house Astronomer takes them through a journey of the night sky and beyond. Using a 16” telescope that rises from the ground, there is plenty to see, talk about and learn.
About his visit to Soneva, Petr said “it was a pleasure to be here as an expert astronomer.” He shared some incredible snaps that he took during his time in the Maldives, along with the details of what sheer beauty has been captured in each shot. Beautifully, glowing turquoise waters, golden moons, and sparkling stars are spread throughout each photo, showing how incredible our solar system is.
