Ten telescopes and a number of planetaria later, the couple now want to set up a luxury astro-hotel (or astrotel) on the site – with many stars to do justice to the name – which will finally provide a solution for the numerous requests for accommodation they get from different parts of the world.

Well-known as astronomy enthusiasts but also as the owners of unique facilities for observing the sky and teaching the secrets of the universe, Gloria and Clive regret the fact that there are currently no hotel facilities to cater for the requests from different parts of the world.

Brazilian Gloria Jackson, who came to Portugal with her British husband 15 years ago, said that at the moment they only had seven rooms which they managed in a somewhat relaxed way because lodging was not their main area of activity; at the beginning they got enthusiastic about astro-tourism but then they diversified their work, but always with the focus on astronomy.

They have found a partner for the financing and managing of the astrotel, a Portuguese company whose identity the couple do not yet wish to disclose, and they are at present awaiting the response from the Institute of Tourism concerning the request for viability they presented six months ago, on which the future of the hotel will depend.

Gloria explained that it was a themed area with a hotel and spa, which could help to reduce the seasonal nature of tourist demand in the Algarve; she stressed that the new facility, yet to be approved, would finally enable them to deal with the requests they get from scientists, astronomy and astrophysics clubs, universities and interested people from all over the world.

Gloria said that when people arrive there they look at the sky and fall in love straight away; she does not complain at all about not having the lights of civilisation near the place she lives, because artificial light is the enemy of astronomical observation and the darkness of the starry sky is the main asset of the CDEPA villa.

A digital planetarium with a diameter of 9 metres

The new themed accommodation will have at least 66 beds (in 36 rooms) and a maximum of 180 rooms, a pool, spa and facilities for learning about astronomy and observation.

At present the two enthusiasts devote much of their time to receiving school groups, in whom they can sometimes glimpse that shine in the eyes of people who have discovered something magical, and they have also other achievements to their names, some of them international.

In the summer of 2005, for example, they hosted the “Space Camp”, the first Holiday Camp of the European Space Agency, which brought 200 children to Tavira, the children of workers and scientists at the European Space Agency.

On the theme “From maritime navigation to space navigation”, the camp brought an astronaut and Minister Mariano Gago to CDEPA, and had the privilege of putting the telescopes to good use and creating mini-planetaria all over the site.

By June this year, the Observatory will have its first digital planetarium, nine metres in diameter, where it will be possible to see films. A trip through the historical past of Tavira is one of the planned films, but there will be plenty of space exploration in future screenings.

Currently stealing the show at the Observatory is the 20 inch telescope which is housed inside a chamber, and another 12 inch telescope which is completely automated.

The Jacksons work mainly with organised groups but they accept reservations for “starry nights”, which can include dinner, and which promise unforgettable views of the night sky over Tavira, liberally sprinkled with planets, stars and galaxies.

And also included on the menu are the explanations given by resident astronomer Clive Jackson.

source: http://www.algarveobserver.com