

Friday 20 August 2021
From 17h30 to 01h30
Observatoire Centre Ardenne, Grapfontaine
Transportation by 4* luxury coach
Overview
This trip is open for actual reservations. Please note that you cannot pay immediately online but you either make an online bank transfer on your own (BE89.3630.8012.6585, Xross Global Group BV, comment: STARGAZING), or you can request a payment link for a card payment.
UPDATE 13 AUGUST: Already 75% of the spots are booked! FINAL SPOTS
UPDATE 16 AUGUST: WE DEPART AT 17h30 FROM SCHUMAN (followed by other points)
EXTRA BUS PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF IN ANTWERP (Binnensingel / Grote Steenweg)
EXTRA bus boarding and drop-off points upon return.
Outbound: Schuman, La Chasse, Delta, Hermann-Debroux
Inbound: as above + Merode, Montgomery, Roodebeek (or at busstops along route)
Many would like to take a cab, and Expat Club will coordinate this upon arrival in Grapfontaine.
This is a great trip for adults and children. Child tickets available until Tuesday (€50)!
In case of bad weather the trip will be cancelled and you will receive a full refund.
It’s time for some serious stargazing! After several successful and fun visits to the Planetarium in Brussels and the Public Observatory in Grimbergen, we take things to the next level again. Join us on this trip to the Ardennes to enjoy the celestial spectacle of the Perseids Meteor shower. Summer evenings are always nice for watching the skies, but we choose this date because our Planet Earth is passing through the Perseids meteor field, resulting in countless shooting stars in the sky. On top of that we will enjoy a presentation in a special domed planetarium and we will be able to watch through several professional telescopes (e.g. to look at planets, nebulas and other celestial objects). For this trip we maintain a good-weather guarantee. If it is too cloudy we will cancel the trip. But be aware we had to disappoint dozens of people in previous years because it was fully booked, so reserve your spot on time.
What's included?
- Transportation by 4* luxury coach
- Entrance fees Observatoire Centre Ardenne
- Lecture and presentation in planetarium (first 30 only)
- Usage fees of telescopes
- Explanation by experts
- Stargazing in darkness 🙂
- Some little snacks and drinks
- A fun group of international people
- A lifetime memory
Coach pick up points
- Antwerp – Binnensingel
- Place Schuman, Brussels (bus stop next to KBC bank on roundabout)
- La Chasse (long bus stop on Avenue d’Auderghem, right before main intersection)
- Metro Delta (long bus stop on Avenue de Beaulieu, next to metro entry)
- Metro Hermann-Debroux (long bus stop under highway flyover, next to Loxam)
- Hoeilaart E411 highway entrance #2
On the return we also stop at Merode, Montgomery and Roodebeek (near Woluwe Shopping Center) and at points in between at bus stops if traffic allows.
Who can join?
Expat Club is known for welcoming a wide variety of international people on its trips. This creates a special, open-minded, safe and friendly environment in which everyone should feel comfortable. You do not have to be a member even, and of course Belgians are more the invited too to join us. We always welcome many solo travellers, couples, retirees, small groups of friends and on this trip certainly also families.
What if the weather is bad?
Having good clear weather for stargazing is essential. The past 5 years it was superb 3 times and very good 1 time, but another time we had to cancel the entire trip because there were way too many clouds. In principle we confirm this trip on Wednesday 17 August (the go / no-go date), based on the weather forecasts for Friday 20 August. If we cancel it, you will be refunded fully within a few days. Early bird and child tickets will remain available until Friday evening 13 August 23h59.