Al Thuraya Astronomy Center Al Thuraya Astronomy Center to become a regional focal point for astronomy. It is being funded by Dubai Municipality and will be handed over to Dubai Astronomy Group to manage and operate. Hasan Al Hariri, chief executive of the group, said the center would have a huge impact on education and tourism. Work on the project will take up to nine months to complete. “We will manage it as a group and our primary focus is to bring the science of astronomy to the wider public,” said Mr Al Hariri. The observatory will feature a space museum, gallery, a theater and a one-meter telescope. It is expected to open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The centre is not the only project the group wants to develop. If approved, the Hatta Tourist Observatory will be built on top of a 1,600-metre mountain. “The only way to get to it will be on a cable car, which itself will be a tourist attraction.” The Thuraya center will also have a lecture theater and scientific academy, and will host visits from schools and universities, in addition to annual astronomy & space expo. “We want children to develop a sense of exploration about the world they live in, and what better way to do it than to show them our place in the universe?” Mr Al Hariri said. “I think it will become one of the jewels of tourist attractions in Dubai. “What I really hope is that once people experience the center and learn there, they take that sense of wonder back with them.” The Thuraya complex will be complemented by the Dubai Dark Sky Park, an area where people can view the stars away from the city’s light pollution. There will be amenities at the site for visitors, including a restaurant. “We are finalizing locations for these two projects but for the dark-sky park, it will have to be away from the city so that we can get the most ideal conditions for star-gazing.” For more information, visit www.dubaiastronomy.com.