Halloween

We cannot believe that the summer is over at Camera Obscura but we are fully prepared to enjoy the horrific treats that come with October – Halloween!

Whether we are hearing ghostly foot -steps on our musical stair case or our View Cams are catching ghostly figures at night; there is something for everyone at Camera Obscura and Edinburgh on the run up to Halloween 2017!

Instead of auguring whether the Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween or a Christmas movie we have a few recommendations for fun over October.

There’s a nip in the air and that not just the Scottish weather if you are looking for some frightening fun you may want to explore;

• St Giles Cathedral is a traditional hotspot for ghoulish walking tours that show all the haunted areas of the city, hopefully you finish the tour all in one piece.
• There is also the Samhuinn Fire Festival, which takes place in Edinburgh on 31 October 2017 at 9pm. It is run the Beltane Fire Festival Society who creates a colourful performance depicting characters from ancient folklore with fire and music. The Samhuinn Fire Festival in Edinburgh is a feast for the senses and a sight to behold. The festival is the pagan celebration of the end of the harvest season and arrival of winter.
• For younger ghouls and trolls there is “Halloween Hop Monster Mash up” which takes place at The Jam House Edinburgh, located just behind George Street. It promises to be a day of Halloween hop dancing, ghoulish games and frightful face painting. Parties commence throughout the day at 10-11.30am / 12.30 – 2pm / 3pm – 4.30pm. It is suitable for children who are walking to ten years old. Tickets are £9.00 each and we recommend to book soon so you’re not disappointed.

Of course at Camera Obscura we too will dress up and have some fun; we keep you updated via our social-media. Until then remember this Halloween drink, eat and be scary!

Written by: Christine McCleary

The sky is falling! No wait, it’s the 2017 Meteor Showers.

At Camera Obscura we have been viewing the city of Edinburgh and its skies since 1853. Since we opened as a tourist attraction we have seen many incredible things like sun shine in Scotland, solar events and even the odd eclipse. We were spoiled last month with beautiful views of the Northern Lights from Calton Hill in Edinburgh.

This is why we are so excited to tilt our head to the skies during October 2017 to hopefully catch a glimpse of  both the Draconid and the Orionid Meteor showers.

The Draconid meteor shower, also known as the Giacobinids, is the first of the 2 meteor showers to grace the skies in October. The Draconids owe their name to the constellation Draco the Dragon, and are created when the Earth passes through the dust debris left by comet 21 P/ Giacobini-Zinner. This meteor shower is usually known as a sleeper with very few meteors, but watch out because the dragon might wake up and many shooting stars may race across the sky. It is due to hit it’s peak on 7th and 8th October and is best viewed just after sunset.

The second of the 2 meteor showers in October is the Orionids. The Orionid shower is created when debris from the passing Halley’s Comet comes into contact with Earth’s atmosphere every October. It should be visible from October 2 to November 7,  but will hit its peak on the nights of the 20th and 21st of October.

Tips for viewing these visual treats are, avoid city lighting as this can interfere with your viewing experience, watch with your friends and family not just for safety but also for warmth! Of course wear sensible clothing but if you’re local to Edinburgh or Scotland we presume you do this anyway and lastly if you can bring a good chair or seat, it will make all the difference.

We hope you are able to wish upon a shooting star or meteor over October and would also love to hear about your star gazing adventures via Facebook or twitter.

written by Christine McCleary