Observing the grazing Alpha Librae occultation
during the 2004 May 4 Total Lunar Eclipse
in the extreme South of Namibia

»Namibia's bleak southern tip exudes a sense of isolation from whichever direction you approach it. Travelling along the highway, the seemingly endless desert plains stretch to the horizon in all directions. You can imagine how surprising it is to suddenly encounter the startling and spellbinding Fish River Canyon, which forms an enormous gash across the desert landscape.« (Lonely Planet Namibia, p. 289, on the region where the graze can be seen)

Geometry

There are only a handful of points where roads intersect the graze tracks of either Alpha2 or Alpha1, and the best accessible intersections appear to lie on the main road B4 between Keetmanshoop and Lüderitz on the coast.

From Windhoek this general area is 650 to 750 kilometers, which one should not do in one day -> If going by car, Windhoek should be left early on May 2nd so that all of May 4 is available for site scouting in the area. Or one flies in, to Lüderitz (served by Air Namibia, days and rate unknown), and goes from there.

The Alpha2 intersection is on the B4, halfway between the small towns of Goageb and Aus, the Alpha1 intersection is on the same road, halfway between Aus and Lüderitz.

Alternatively the grazelines could be intercepted on secondary roads (way) south of the B4.

The Alpha 2 line passes near the (apparently abandoned) village of Hoolop between Seeheim and Grünau and perhaps through the new Gondwana Canon Park (and very close to the Fish River Canyon !), and will also cross two roads southwest of Grünau and Karasburg leading to Noordoewer at the South African border.

The Alpha1 line intercepts another secondary road, going from Aus to the South, crosses straight through the Fish R.C. and also croses the above-mentioned road from Karasburg to the border, but much farther south, almost at that border.

A vivid description (in German) of the barren landscape and the attractions of the area can be found in this travel report from 2001, on "3. Tag" til "7. Tag"; especially this picture should give a good impression what the (major) roads are like there!

Accomodation

There is accomodation available in oder near Lüderitz, Aus, Goageb, Seeheim, Keetmanshoop, Grünau and in the Gondwana C.P. As there are major school holidays all over Southern Africa in May, reservations should be made ASAP! The prices quoted below are from 2002 (from an Australian and a German travel guide) and are given in $U.S. and/or Euros; the comments are from the guide books:

Keetmanshoop a half dozen hotels doubles from $18 to $68
near Keetmansh. Lafenis Rest Camp self-catering bungalows, $38 for 2, $54 for 4 beds
Seeheim Seeheim hotel $27 per person, recommended
near Seeheim Fish River Lodge double $51, highly scenic
Goageb Konkiep Motel $18 per person
Aus Bahnhof Hotel double $27
Aus Namib Garage double $24 / EUR 9 per person
near Aus Klein Aus Vista double $84 / single EUR 38; no charme
70 km North of Aus Tiras Gästefarm double EUR 35 per person
Lüderitz a dozen hotels double from $21 to $77
Grünau Grünau Motors Rest Camp double $30
Grünau Grünau Hotel double $28, »anachronical ambience«
near Grünau White House Ruskamp $12 per person / EUR 20
40 km from Grünau Savanna Guest Farm double EUR 35
Ai-Ais (at Fish R.C.) Hot Springs Resort 4-bed huts $26 and other offers / double EUR 36
Gondwana C.P. Canon Lodge double $117
Gondwana C.P. Canon Roadhouse double $86 / DZ 32 per person; recommended
Noordoewer Camel Lodge double $34 / EUR 30
Karasburg Kalkfontein Hotel double $27 / EUR 25

Action Items / questions to be answered

Daniel Fischer, December 3, 2003.