Atlas Ocean Voyages is enhancing its Cultural Expeditions’ Atlas Focus Lab programming by introducing new Stargazing and Astronomy Workshops on select 2024 and 2025 expeditions.
The line will also feature two special voyages highlighting the total solar eclipse scheduled on August 12, 2026. World Navigator will be positioned in the Arctic region off Patreksfjordur, Iceland and World Traveller will be positioned in the Mediterranean off Palma de Mallorca, Spain. This will ensure optimal viewing locations centered in the path of totality for each location.
Stargazing and Astronomy Workshops
Throughout each Stargazing and Astronomy Workshop, guests will engage in conversations about the cosmos with fellow explorers while viewing the galaxy with advanced telescopes on deck. Talks and lectures will cover topics ranging from the birth of the universe to the latest astronomical discoveries. Featured on three expeditions in 2024 aboard World Navigator, guests will have the opportunity to enrich their journey with talks led by astronomer Jonathan H. Ward.
Those voyages are:
- 8-nights Reykjavik to Amsterdam departing September 12, 2024
- 10 nights Amsterdam to Lisbon departing September 20, 2024
- 13 nights Las Palmas to Rio de Janeiro departing October 14, 2024
Astronomer Charles Barclay will lead the World Voyager expedition in 2025, departing June 10th for 12 nights from Leith (Edinburgh) to Trondheim. Additional Stargazing and Astronomy Workshop expeditions to northern Europe in 2025 will be announced soon.
“There has always been a close connection to stargazing and the sea, from captains navigating with the stars to novice astronomers gazing at the night sky on deck,” shares James Rodriguez, president and CEO of Atlas Ocean Voyages. “The Atlas Ocean Voyages team looks forward to welcoming Jonathan Ward and Charles Barclay onboard as our expedition guides to the galaxy as we further elevate the onboard experience for our guests to new heights.”
Jonathan H. Ward is the author of space history books, an astronomer, and an avid astrophotographer. His most recent book, “Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars,” was written in collaboration with astronaut Eileen Collins, the first American woman to pilot and command space missions. His previous book, “Bringing Columbia Home: The Untold Story of a Lost Space Shuttle and Her Crew,” was optioned for development as a feature film and was awarded the Space Hipsters Prize for Best Space and Astronomy Book of 2018. He has been an active speaker on space-related topics as a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador since 2012. His enrichment lectures include “The Sky Above Us” planetarium presentations and leading stargazing sessions on deck. Jonathan was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in September 2018 and is president of the Greensboro (North Carolina) Astronomy Club.
Charles Barclay, a previous Vice President of the Royal Astronomical Society, directed the Blackett Observatory in Wiltshire for 25 years. He is at the forefront of astronomy education and outreach in the UK, serving as a National Astronomy Education Coordinator for the International Astronomical Union, UK Team Leader for the Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad, and an Academic Visitor in the Oxford University Astrophysics Department. Recognized by the Royal Astronomical Society with the 2023 Service Award for his outstanding contribution to astronomy education, Barclay lectures on diverse astrophysics topics internationally and writes for popular astronomy magazines.
2026 Eclipse Expeditions
World Navigator will mark the August 12, 2026 solar eclipse in Patreksfjordur, Iceland, while World Traveller will sail the Mediterranean Sea between Palma de Mallorca, Spain and Banyuls Sur Mer, France.
“This year’s solar eclipse was one of the most sought-after travel experiences in 2024 and Atlas Ocean Voyages is thrilled to offer not one, but two voyages to optimum locations for the next solar eclipse in 2026,” said James Rodriguez, president and CEO of Atlas Ocean Voyages.
Both journeys will feature expert astronomers serving as expedition guides. They will share their knowledge of the solar eclipse and detailed descriptions of the uninterrupted views of the stars above. Guests will enjoy special lectures, advanced telescopes on deck, and conversations with fellow explorers.
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