Stargazing on Sylt

Since childhood, Steffen Jahrmarkt has been fascinated by the cosmos, the stars, and what happens beyond Earth. His interest was originally sparked by his father, who would sit with him on the balcony and gaze up at the night sky through binoculars. Back then, when he was just ten years old and had no idea what was happening, they created wonderful memories together that will last a lifetime. His father showed him the moon and the North Star, but also constellations like the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper, explained to him why the sky rotates, and looked with him for shooting stars and other phenomena, depending on what the sky in the Ruhr region was revealing. 

"Unlike on Sylt, the sky in Essen is not very clear due to light pollution. Here on the island, much more is visible due to the darkness," explains the amateur astronomer. This is due to the exceptional location in the middle of the North Sea and the lush variety of nature reserves. This makes the stars seem close enough to touch. But as is often the case, instead of further developing his interest in astronomy, the passionate surfer studied communications. Something solid, something he can build on. A trip to Australia brought him a little closer to the stars again and changed his life forever. On the other side of the world, apart from Sylt, you can of course also wonderfully observe the cosmos and moonlight. 

But the surfing conditions on the Australian coast are perhaps even more impressive. The people of Sylt know this very well. Perhaps it's a natural phenomenon or a cosmic law: where the waves are rolling, the people of Sylt aren't far behind. And so Steffen met a few lifeguards in Australia who raved to their new friend about their work on Sylt. With great success. "They told me about this dream job," remembers Steffen Jahrmarkt, who, in addition to his "stargazing events," is now the full-time HR manager at the Island of Sylt Tourism Service. In between, he actually worked as a lifeguard and windsurfing instructor, career positions that no surfer would want to miss, and gained valuable experience in, among other things, marketing. 

A few years ago, a friend from Berlin gave the family man the decisive impulse: 'Why don't you get a telescope? From Sylt, the night sky is sure to be wonderful to explore, completely free of light pollution.' No sooner said than done. 'I'll just do it,' was his motto. For more than two years now, Steffen's gaze and his interest have increasingly wandered upwards and beyond. His telescope, which would have been priceless back then, offers him and anyone else interested a magical view of the universe and even the craters of the moon. In addition to events for companies like Land Rover, he also offers individuals the opportunity to further expand their astronomical knowledge and immerse themselves in the Sylt night sky. "A highlight in autumn and winter were the aurora borealis, which appeared repeatedly. There is no guarantee for these events, but shooting stars are very common on clear days," says Steffen.