Arguably, there are fewer and fewer experiences left in modern life that can be described as truly belonging to everybody. The monocultures of old have largely given way to a world that revolves more around the individual. The accessibility and ubiquity of the internet and handheld devices mean news feeds are personalised, music lists are curated and entertainment platforms learn – from their users – what will keep us watching.
Certainly, such convenience has transformed everyday life – but it has also made shared experiences and moments of communal connection harder to come by. This evening’s night sky, however, offers an exception. Tonight, people across the UAE will have the opportunity to watch the Perseid meteor shower as it reaches its peak, with potentially as many as 100 meteors an hour visible if conditions allow. Other celestial events are taking place around the same time, although a solar eclipse elsewhere in the world will sadly not be visible from the Emirates.
These are phenomena that appeal to more than just stargazers or science buffs. There is no personalised version of a meteor shower, nor can an algorithm decide which eclipse or planetary alignment one should see. At the same time these experiences are egalitarian – there is no premium package or upgrade that offers a better view.
Such moments resonate particularly in a country as diverse as the UAE. Although society in the Emirates is made up of scores of nationalities and cultures – many of whom have very different life experiences – everyone can look at the same sky. For a few moments, distinctions that can seem so significant in everyday life become less important as people share a natural spectacle.
Astronomers and stargazing groups in the UAE have seen the enthusiasm for these occasions before. Speaking to The National this week, Sheeraz Awan, the general manager and astronomer at the Dubai Astronomy Group, described how they will host a special event for the occasion in Al Khatim Desert. Telescopes will be available and experts will explain the phenomena, and share stories about the night sky.
There is something apt about the desert being the best place to witness these natural wonders. Long before the internet, people who called this land home looked at the same stars and waited for the same meteors. A child watching the Perseids today is seeing essentially the same phenomenon that past generations witnessed.
Globally, more societies are becoming increasingly divided into silos by personalised streams of information and entertainment. Indeed, 21st-century humanity is still figuring out how to manage technology and media that can capture our attention on a nearly 24-hour basis. Tonight’s sky, however, should remind us that beneath all the differences created or reinforced by modern life, there are still some important things that we can experience together.
