Reunion, a land of exceptional beauty and clear skies
The Mascarene Islands have been classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as one of 25 natural areas around the world to be protected in priority. Of the three islands, this biodiversity is most evident in Reunion.
Little by little, these natural zones have become protected areas. The National Park of Reunion (in French) now covers 40% of the island’s surface area, and has led the ‘Pitons, Cirques & Remparts’ project in the aim of helping Reunion make the UNESCO World Heritage list.
And as for the 250 species of fish and 150 species of coral, they have all been placed under the protective wing of the Natural Marine Reserve which stretches along the west coast between St Paul and Etang-Salé-les-Bains.
A myriad of stars in the sky
The night is all yours: the sun sets relatively early (between 5.45pm in June and 7pm in January), sometimes leaving a blazing trail of green before dipping beyond the horizon. It leaves behind a night sky completely devoid of any atmospheric pollution, with other constellations not seen in the northern hemisphere and some spectacular nebula.
Guided tours are provided at the Astronomy Observatory in Les Makes, located at an altitude of 1000 m in the hills of St. Louis. The Observatory also organizes conferences and participates in the “World Year of Astronomy”.
The Makes Observatory website (in French) gives month-by-month details on Reunion’s night sky and astronomical calendar.
