Wintertime is the ultimate time for relaxing in an outdoor hot tub and stargazing. If you’ve had the fortune to enjoy an outdoor hot tub or hot spring in the middle of winter, you know what we’re talking about.
The experience is literally out-of-this-world and a must for anyone looking for the ultimate winter escape. If hot tubbing is new to you, or you haven’t had a chance to experience stargazing from the steamy waters of an outdoor hot tub in the middle of winter, you may wonder what the experience is like and what all the fuss is about. If this is you, get ready to have your expectations met and exceeded. Winter Stargazing from a hot tub is awesome.
Outdoor Private Hot Tubs
Hot Tubs are an ideal way to unwind and relax anytime. Because the water in a hot tub is perfectly balanced and set to body temperature, you feel instant relaxation and comfort as soon as you slip into the soothing waters. Just soaking in an outdoor hot tub can make you feel blissful. Turning on the jets and hydrotherapy massage adds to the bubbling bliss. If you haven’t had a chance to experience your private outdoor hot tub, you have no idea what you’re missing. It’s a total spa experience that’s easy to fall in love with.
Outdoor Winter Hot Tubs and why they’re the ultimate escape
Wintertime is an ideal time to experience the outdoors. The air is crisp and clean, snowflakes fall gently from the sky, and the scenery looks like something from a fairytale.
With winter comes cold temperatures, and even when it’s sunny outside, going for a walk can be chilly unless you dress for the weather. An outdoor hot tub, however, makes it possible to spend time outside in total comfort and bliss. Even when the outdoor temperatures are sub-zero, you can relax outside in your hot tub in total comfort, soaking up the sunshine, reading a book, or just taking a moment to be mindful.
The outdoor Stargazing hot tubs at Whale House are always perfectly balanced and at the right temperature. Spending time outside is as simple as taking three steps onto your private oceanside deck and slipping into the steamy waters that are always hot and waiting for you. This means you can get a suntan in the middle of February, view wildlife in total comfort, and relax in an environment that’s designed to make you feel blissful.
Why Stargazing from a Hot Tub in the winter is amazing
Asking a loved one to spend time with you under the stars is a romantic experience that’s been around since humans have been on the earth. Just looking up at the night sky can spark feelings and emotions found nowhere else. It’s the ultimate practice in mindfulness and a great way to re-center and relax. In the Northern Hemisphere, nighttime comes early in the winter, and there is so much to see at night if you just take a moment to pay attention.
The Newfoundland night sky in the winter showcases different stars than in the summer, and often times the sky is clear, offering unobstructed views. Because Whale House is perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and next to the Ecological Reserve in the Witless Bay Marine Protected Zone, light pollution is minimal. This means you won’t only see stars when stargazing from your hot tub, but you’ll actually be able to see planets and strips of constellations. Book an evening under the stars during a meteor shower or comet fly-by, and stargazing can turn into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
When you look up at the night sky, the stars you see are much older than the planet, and they’re the same stars humans have been viewing ever since they first looked up. It’s an experience that somehow links us all together. It’s a must-do for any inhabitant of the earth.
Why Stargazing is good for your health
Did you know research has shown stargazing is good for your health and well-being? Stargazing is proven to lower stress, increase feelings of peace, and build powerful connections with those you share the activity with. The stars and night sky are always there waiting to be explored by anyone who is willing to take a moment to slow down and look up.
Why the outdoor hot tubs at Whale House are built for Stargazing
The Stargazing Hot Tub and Newfoundland Hot Tub suites at Whale House are built with stargazing in mind. The Hot Tubs are perfectly oriented to the night sky and designed to allow you to lay back and look up. This means you can really relax and take your time looking up without tweaking your neck or standing in the freezing cold. The Stargazing Hot Tub in the Blue Whale Suite is also bathed in sunshine all day long and is the best spot to watch the sunrise. This means you can also recharge with some natural Vitamin D from the sun and get the most out of your outdoor winter hot tub escapes experience.
What can I see in the night sky when Stargazing from a Hot Tub at Whale House?
Of course, you can see lots of stars when stargazing from your hot tub, and because light pollution is minimal here on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, you can also see planets and strips of constellations, which in and of itself is super cool. Did you know, however, that there is a lot more to see out there? Satellites like Starlink’s mini clusters can often be seen in the night sky while they’re in low earth orbit. Telecommunications satellites are also often seen with the naked eye, and when the International Space Station (ISS) flies overhead, it’s unmistakable.
You can track the International Space Station Online by visiting the NASA International Space Station tracking website to see when the ISS will next fly over the Stargazing Hot Tubs at Whale House. Winter constellations also become more obvious in the winter sky, so if you want to brush up on your astronomy, a stargazing hot tub is an ideal venue.
What star constellations can I see from the Stargazing Hot Tubs at Whale House?
The most common and easiest-to-spot constellations in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter months are:
Gemini
Gemini can be a little harder to pick out. To make it easier to find, first, locate Orion, and then look above Orion’s upper arm. Gemini, known as the Twins, looks like two stick men or paper dolls with connected arms.
Taurus
Taurus can be spotted the best by first looking for Aldebaran, a bright star that is located roughly in-between the Taurus horns (Taurus is a Bull). Close to Orion, Taurus is also easy to identify and is visible all night. Taurus is sandwiched between the Crab Nebula at its feet and the star cluster Pleiades above its head.
The Little Dipper
Ursa Minor (known as “Little Dipper” or “The Little Bear”)
If you can spot one of the Dippers, you can usually make out the other. Because the Big Dipper is the most obvious of the two, start by locating it first and then finding the Little Dipper. Polaris (the North Star) is often bright in the winter sky. The North Star (Polaris) is located at the handle of the Little Dipper.
Orion
Orion is one of the simplest constatations to pick out in the night sky. It’s visible shortly after dark and hangs out in the night sky until morning. It’s easiest to pick out Orion by looking at the bright stars that make up his belt first, then picking out his arms and the bow he is holding. The bright start located at Orion’s shoulder is called Betelgeuse and is also a good reference point when exploring this constellation.
Ursa Major (known as the “Big Dipper or “The Great Bear).
The Big Dipper is the easiest of all the winter constellations to pick out. Its geometry is obvious once you see it for the first time, and it’s usually juxtaposed front and center in the clear winter sky. If you’re trying to identify your first constellation, the Big Dipper is a great place to start. Once you see the big dipper, you’ll never forget what it looks like and it will usually be the first thing that jumps out at you when stargazing.
Have you been lucky enough to experience winter stargazing from one of the Whale House outdoor winter hot tubs? What are some of the highlights of your Stargazing Hot Tub Retreat or Hot Tub Winter Escapes experience? Please let us know in the comments below.
