A journey to the darkest region in the United Arab Emirates offers a rare glimpse of the Milky Way, a stark contrast to the dazzling city lights that dominate the nation. The UAE's gleaming skyscrapers and bright lights, symbols of its rapid oil-fueled development into a global hub for commerce and tourism, have obscured the night sky across most inhabited areas. The stars that once guided Bedouin through the vast Empty Quarter are now largely hidden by artificial illumination.
Light Pollution Plagues the UAE
The UAE ranks among the most light-polluted countries globally, alongside other Gulf Arab states where populations are concentrated in major cities. A 2016 study found that artificial lights prevent 99% of the UAE's population from seeing the Milky Way from their homes. This illumination ranges from streetlights to the LED displays on the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. Abu Dhabi plans to build a $1.7 billion version of the Las Vegas Sphere on Yas Island. In response, Abu Dhabi introduced a 'Dark Sky Policy' in 2024 to address lighting issues across the emirate. Dubai, meanwhile, has seen a rise in LED displays and billboards, though it also hosts the Al Qudra Lakes, a rural area with lower light pollution.
Hunting for Darkness in Abu Dhabi's Far Desert Reaches
City lights do not reach Al Quaa Desert, located about 100 kilometers southeast of Abu Dhabi city. Accessible via a major highway to Al Ain and then a southern road into the desert, the area remains dark despite overhead lights on Razeen Road and a nearby lit prison. An automatic gate opens to an unpaved road leading deeper into the desert. Kilometers further, past campers enjoying the last good weather before summer temperatures hit 45°C, astronomers gathered dozens of stargazers. Nearby, laborers slept under blankets in a pickup truck. Under a small LED lamp, a camel spider was seen eating another, briefly running toward a journalist before vibrations from an approaching car sent it scurrying back into darkness.
Staring at the Stars
Families speaking Arabic, English, and Russian sat on carpets, watching as the half-moon set. Soon, the Milky Way became visible to the naked eye. 'When you look toward the east, can you see that faint cloud?' asked Sheeraz Awan, general manager of the Dubai Astronomy Group. 'That, ladies and gentlemen, is the Milky Way.' Using a laser pointer, he highlighted stars, drawing exclamations from the crowd. Volunteers described this as one of the best times of the year to view the galaxy. Gasps followed as meteors streaked across the sky, easily seen without urban light interference. Some used telescopes to examine individual stars, while others lay on the cold sand, learning to take long-exposure photos with their phones. Eventually, participants returned to their cars and drove back to the UAE's lighted highways and cities. For a brief time, they had connected with the night sky as Bedouins once did. 'When we look at this Milky Way, we're kind of involved in an activity which is not new,' Awan told the group. 'It's something that people throughout time have been engaged in.'
