UAE star gazers are being urged to keep their eyes on the skies in 2024, with a series of stunning celestial events to look forward to.
Spectacular meteor showers, a supermoon and a lunar eclipse will all be in the sights of enthusiasts in the year ahead.
A growing number of people in the Emirates have a passion for astronomy, with many attending viewing events held by local organisations.
Sheeraz Awan, general manager of the Dubai Astronomy Group, told The National that hundreds of people show up to their observation events, as compared to only 20 to 30 people in 2014.
"The number of people who have been participating with us has grown significantly," he said.
"So many people get in touch with us about the meteor showers and we also let them know of all the multiple locations that they can go for observation."
About 800 people attended a comet viewing event that the astronomy group held earlier this year.
With plenty astronomical events visible in the UAE's skies this year, The National takes a look at some of the top ones.
Quadrantids meteor shower
This celestial event spans both 2023 and 2024, taking place from December 26 to January 16 – but is due to peak on January 3 and 4.
Up to 200 meteors an hour streak across the skies when the shower is at its high point. Visibility depends on if weather conditions are favourable.
Quadrantids are also known for their bright fireball meteors – larger explosions of light and colour that persist for longer.
March Equinox
An equinox is when the day and night are the same lengths all over the world.
The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night globally.
This equinox is set to take place on March 20 and 21.
The year's second equinox is on September 22.
Lyrids meteor shower
These are the oldest recorded showers and are at their peak from April 22 to 23.
The shower has been observed for 2,700 years, with Chinese astronomers first recording the phenomenon in 687 BC.
About 100 meteors per hour can be observed if weather conditions are suitable.
Meanwhile, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower – which is associated with Halley's Comet – takes place on May 6 and 7 and may be visible from the UAE.
Supermoon, Buck Moon
This will be the first supermoon of the year and will take place on July 21.
It is a phenomenon when the Moon is closer than usual to the Earth and appears larger.
It is called a Buck Moon to signify the new antlers that emerge on a deer buck’s forehead around this time.
Perseids meteor shower
The Perseids meteor shower take place from July 14 to September 1 and are at their peak from August 12 to 13.
If skies are clear, these are one of the best meteor showers to observe, with about 50 to 100 meteors per hour that shoot across.
They move fast and are also known to produce fireballs.
Sturgeon Moon
This will be a full moon that will appear in the UAE’s skies on August 19.
It is called Sturgeon Moon because of the abundance of fish in the Great Lakes during this month month hundreds of years ago.
Saturn at opposition
On September 8, the planet Saturn will be "in opposition".
At this time, Earth is between the Sun and Saturn. From Earth, Saturn is on the "opposite" side of the sky to the Sun.
The gas giant appear closer and brighter from Earth, giving sky gazers a unique opportunity to observe the stunning planet and its rings.
Lunar eclipse and Harvest Moon
A rare celestial event will take place on September 18, which includes a Harvest Moon and a penumbral lunar eclipse.
The Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox.
But it might not be too visible because of a penumbral lunar eclipse, which is when only the outer shadow of the Earth falls on the Moon.
An annular solar eclipse will take place two weeks later in parts of South America, but will not be visible in the UAE.
Orionids, Leonids and Geminids meteor showers
The last three months of the year will include stunning meteor showers, with possibility of high visibility as the weather is usually favourable in the UAE from October to December.
The Orionids meteor shower will peak from October 21 and 22.
The Leonids meteor shower will be visible on November 18.
And the Geminids peak from December 13 and 14. These are set to be the most visible of the year in the Emirates, with about 120 meteors an hour shooting across the sky.
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
