Eco friendly dune buggy Dubai might sound like an oxymoron at first. After all, dune buggies conjure images of roaring engines, petrol fumes, and sand hurled skyward. Bedouin camp dune buggy Dubai . But Dubai, a city that often turns bold ideas into everyday reality, is quietly shifting the desert adventure scene toward cleaner, quieter, lower-impact experiences. If you love the thrill of carving lines across ochre-red dunes yet also care about what those tires leave behind, this movement is worth watching-and trying.
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The appeal of dune buggies in Dubai is timeless: sunrise over rippling sand seas, the tactile joy of cresting a ridge, and the vastness of the Arabian landscape as it changes color with the light. 24 hour dune buggy booking Dubai What's changing is the technology under the hood and the mindset behind the tours. Electric and hybrid buggies are making their way into fleets, paired with better guiding practices, smarter route planning, and a deeper respect for the fragile desert ecology.
At the heart of an eco-friendly dune drive is the powertrain. Electric buggies eliminate tailpipe emissions, which matters more than you might think in a still, arid environment where pollutants linger near the ground. They also slash noise. Instead of a droning motor, you get a soft whir and the crunch of sand-an immediate benefit for wildlife and for you. The desert feels bigger when it's quiet. Even when the grid provides the electricity, operators can shrink the overall footprint by charging during off-peak hours or using on-site solar arrays at base camps. Many rides are one to two hours, which is well within the practical range of modern electric buggies, with spare packs and chargers ready in shaded pits.
But eco-friendly is more than electrification. Driving style and route selection make a huge difference. dune buggy rental company near me Guiding companies increasingly train guests to float over dunes rather than churn through them: steady throttle, gentle steering, and appropriate tire pressures that spread weight and reduce digging. Staying on established lines where possible prevents the slow fraying of the desert's skin. The UAE's dunes look empty, but life is everywhere-reptile burrows, hardy shrubs, and the iconic ghaf tree that anchors patches of soil with deep roots. In quieter zones, you might spot a desert fox slipping through the scrub or see larks rise in a scatter when you stop. Lower noise helps you notice-and avoid-these encounters.
Dubai's policy backdrop nudges the industry forward.
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dune buggy Dubai age requirement The emirate's clean energy ambitions encourage operators to experiment with solar-powered camps, LED lighting, and water reuse. While protected areas like the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve strictly limit off-road driving, the existence of such zones reinforces a broader ethic: if you're outside the reserve, act as if you're inside one. That means no off-trail racing into vegetated patches, no litter, no harassment of wildlife, and no cresting dunes blindly where a protected wadi or shrub belt might sit on the lee side.
If you're choosing a tour, a few cues signal genuine responsibility rather than green paint. Look for operators that offer electric or hybrid buggies, emphasize small groups, and brief you thoroughly on desert etiquette, not just throttle control. Ask how they charge their vehicles and what they do with used batteries and tires. Notice the details: refillable water dispensers instead of single-use bottles, shaded rest areas powered by solar, and simple but robust safety gear-helmets, goggles, gloves, and roll cages that meet international standards.
Timing matters too. The most sustainable rides are often early morning or late afternoon. Cooler air reduces battery stress and makes for a safer experience overall. Wildlife is more active at the edges of the day, which is a joy to witness at a respectful distance. In the peak heat of summer, it's wiser to skip mid-day drives altogether; the desert is unforgiving, and even electric motors and lithium packs prefer cooler conditions. October through April is prime season, when the air is crisp and the sand is firm but forgiving.
On the practical side, don't expect public charging points in the dunes; charging happens at base camps or warehouses, typically on the city's grid or via portable systems. That's fine, because the adventure usually starts and ends at a prepared site where guides issue kit, check permits, and walk you through recovery basics. Electric buggies can surprise newcomers with their torque: smooth, immediate, and easily modulated. That helps with cresting and descending-footwork becomes gentle, and the buggy, lighter on its feet than a petrol equivalent, tends to skim rather than plow. Regenerative braking won't harvest much on soft sand, but it helps control speed on firmer sections and short descents.
The human side of eco-friendly touring matters as much as the machine. A considered itinerary might include a short ride followed by a quiet tea stop in a simple, solar-lit camp, with time to learn about Bedouin desert knowledge-wind reading, animal tracks, the uses of the ghaf. A plant you understand is a plant you'll avoid. Many operators now fold in small restoration gestures: carrying seed balls of native grasses or helping clear windblown litter from fence lines on the way out. It's not a substitute for systemic change, but it turns guests from consumers into caretakers for a few hours.
There are trade-offs, and honesty helps set expectations. Electric buggies can be heavier than you'd think, so operators compensate with tuned suspensions and wide, low-pressure tires to preserve flotation. Range is sensitive to driving style; if you mash the throttle and dig, you'll shorten your run. Charging takes planning; your session might be timed to a previous group's return. And while zero tailpipe emissions are real, the upstream energy mix still matters. The good news is that Dubai's grid is getting cleaner, and nothing beats on-site solar for shrinking the footprint of an afternoon's fun.
If your goal is to experience the desert without feeling like you've pushed it around, an eco friendly dune buggy Dubai tour is more than a niche-it's a glimpse of how adventure travel can evolve. The thrill is still there: the line up the slipface, the heart-thump at the ridge, the joyous slide down the far side. What's added is a sense of proportion, a kind of conversation with the landscape. You're not trying to conquer it. You're learning how to be in it, lightly.
Pack lightly too: breathable clothing that covers skin, a neck gaiter for sand, reusable water bottle, sunscreen, and a small bag to carry out any trash you make. Listen to your guide, drive with a calm hand, and stop every so often just to look. In the hush of an electric buggy's idling motor, the desert tells you more than it ever could over the noise of a petrol engine. And once you've heard it, it's hard to go back.
About Polaris
Northern pole-star; brightest star in Ursa Minor
This article is about the Earth's current north star. For such stars in general, see pole star. For other uses, see Polaris (disambiguation) and North Star (disambiguation).
"Stella Polaris" redirects here. For the military operation, see Operation Stella Polaris.
α UMi A: 1 Ursae Minoris, BD+88°8, FK5 907, GC 2243, HD 8890, HIP 11767, HR 424, SAO 308
α UMi B: NSV 631, BD+88°7, GC 2226, SAO 305
Database references
SIMBAD
α UMi A
α UMi B
Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris (Latinized to Alpha Ursae Minoris) and is commonly called the North Star. With an apparent magnitude that fluctuates around 1.98,[3] it is the brightest star in the constellation and is readily visible to the naked eye at night.[16] The position of the star lies less than 1° away from the north celestial pole, making it the current northern pole star. The stable position of the star in the Northern Sky makes it useful for navigation.[17]
Although appearing to the naked eye as a single point of light, Polaris is a triple star system, composed of the primary, a yellow supergiant designated Polaris Aa, in orbit with a smaller companion, Polaris Ab; the pair is almost certainly[14] in a wider orbit with Polaris B. The outer companion B was discovered in August 1779 by William Herschel, with the inner Aa/Ab pair only confirmed in the early 20th century.
As the closest Cepheid variable, Polaris Aa's distance is a foundational part of the cosmic distance ladder. The revised Hipparcos stellar parallax gives a distance to Polaris A of about 432 light-years (ly) (133 parsecs (pc)), while the successor mission Gaia gives a distance of 446.5 ly (136.9 pc) for Polaris B[9][a].
Stellar system
[edit]
Polaris components as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope
Polaris Aa is an evolved yellow supergiant of spectral type F7Ib with 5.4 solar masses (M☉). It is the first classical Cepheid to have a mass determined from its orbit. The two smaller companions are Polaris B, a 1.39 M☉ F3 main-sequence star orbiting at a distance of 2,400 astronomical units (AU),[18] and Polaris Ab (or P), a very close F6 main-sequence star with a mass of 1.26 M☉.[3] In January 2006, NASA released images, from the Hubble telescope, that showed the three members of the Polaris ternary system.[19][20]
Polaris B can be resolved with a modest telescope. William Herschel discovered the star in August 1779 using a reflecting telescope of his own, one of the best telescopes of the time.[21]
The variable radial velocity of Polaris A was reported by W. W. Campbell in 1899, which suggested this star is a binary system.[22] Since Polaris A is a known cepheid variable, J. H. Moore in 1927 demonstrated that the changes in velocity along the line of sight were due to a combination of the four-day pulsation period combined with a much longer orbital period and a large eccentricity of around 0.6.[23] Moore published preliminary orbital elements of the system in 1929, giving an orbital period of about 29.7 years with an eccentricity of 0.63. This period was confirmed by proper motion studies performed by B. P. Gerasimovič in 1939.[24]
As part of her doctoral thesis, in 1955 E. Roemer used radial velocity data to derive an orbital period of 30.46 y for the Polaris A system, with an eccentricity of 0.64.[25] K. W. Kamper in 1996 produced refined elements with a period of 29.59±0.02 years and an eccentricity of 0.608±0.005.[26] In 2019, a study by R. I. Anderson gave a period of 29.32±0.11 years with an eccentricity of 0.620±0.008.[10]
There were once thought to be two more widely separated components—Polaris C and Polaris D—but these have been shown not to be physically associated with the Polaris system.[18][27]
Observation
[edit]
Variability
[edit]
A light curve for Polaris, plotted from TESS data[28]
Polaris Aa, the supergiant primary component, is a low-amplitude population I classical Cepheid variable, although it was once thought to be a type II Cepheid due to its high galactic latitude. Cepheids constitute an important standard candle for determining distance, so Polaris, as the closest such star,[10] is heavily studied. The variability of Polaris had been suspected since 1852; this variation was confirmed by Ejnar Hertzsprung in 1911.[29]
The range of brightness of Polaris is given as 1.86–2.13,[4] but the amplitude has changed since discovery. Prior to 1963, the amplitude was over 0.1 magnitude and was very gradually decreasing. After 1966, it very rapidly decreased until it was less than 0.05 magnitude; since then, it has erratically varied near that range. It has been reported that the amplitude is now increasing again, a reversal not seen in any other Cepheid.[6]
The period, roughly 4 days, has also changed over time. It has steadily increased by around 4.5 seconds per year except for a hiatus in 1963–1965. This was originally thought to be due to secular redward evolution across the Cepheid instability strip, but it may be due to interference between the primary and the first-overtone pulsation modes.[20][30][31] Authors disagree on whether Polaris is a fundamental or first-overtone pulsator and on whether it is crossing the instability strip for the first time or not.[11][31][32]
The temperature of Polaris varies by only a small amount during its pulsations, but the amplitude of this variation is variable and unpredictable. The erratic changes of temperature and the amplitude of temperature changes during each cycle, from less than 50 K to at least 170 K, may be related to the orbit with Polaris Ab.[12]
A 4-day time lapse of Polaris illustrating its Cepheid type variability.
Research reported in Science suggests that Polaris is 2.5 times brighter today than when Ptolemy observed it, changing from third to second magnitude.[33] Astronomer Edward Guinan considers this to be a remarkable change and is on record as saying that "if they are real, these changes are 100 times larger than [those] predicted by current theories of stellar evolution".
Torres 2023 published a broad historical compilation of radial velocity and photometric data. He concludes that the change in the Cepheid period has reversed and is now decreasing since roughly 2010. Torres notes that TESS data is of limited utility: as a survey telescope, TESS is optimized for dimmer stars than Polaris, so Polaris significantly over-saturates TESS's cameras. Determining an accurate total brightness for Polaris from TESS is extremely difficult, although it remains suitable for timing the period.[34]
Furthermore, apparent irregularities in Polaris Aa's behavior may coincide with the periastron passage of Ab, although imprecision in the data prevents a definitive conclusion.[34] At the Gaia distance, the Aa-Ab closest approach is 6.2 AU; the radius of the primary supergiant is 46 R☉, meaning that the periastron separation is about 29 times its radius. This implies tidal forcing upon Aa's upper atmosphere by Ab. Such binary tidal forcing is known from heartbeat stars, where eccentric periastron approaches cause rich multimode pulsation akin to an electrocardiogram.
Szabados 1992 suggests that, among Cepheids, "phase slips" similar to what happened to Polaris in the mid 1960s are associated with binary systems.[35]
In 2024, researchers led by Nancy Evans at the Harvard & Smithsonian published a study with fresh data on the inner binary using the interferometric CHARA Array. They improved the solution of the orbit: combining CHARA data with previous Hubble data, and in tandem with the Gaia distance of 446±1 light-years, they confirmed the Cepheid radius estimate of 46 R☉ and re-determined its mass at 5.13±0.28M☉. The corresponding Polaris Ab mass is 1.316±0.028M☉. Polaris remains overluminous compared to the best Cepheid evolution models, something also seen in V1334 Cygni. Polaris's rapid period change and pulsation amplitude variations are still peculiar compared to other Cepheids, but may be related to the first-overtone pulsations.[9]
Evans et al also tentatively succeeded in imaging features on the surface of Polaris Aa: large bright and dark patches appear in close-up images, changing over time. Follow up imaging campaigns are required to confirm this detection.[9] Polaris's age is difficult to model; current best estimates find the Cepheid to be much younger than the two main sequence components, seemingly enough to exclude a common origin, which would be quite unlikely for a triple star system.[14][15]
Torres 2023 and Evans et al 2024 both suggest that recent literature cautiously agree that Polaris is a first overtone pulsator.[34][9]
Role as pole star
[edit]
Main article: Pole star
Polaris azimuths vis clock face analogy.[36]A typical Northern Hemisphere star trail with Polaris in the center.Polaris lying halfway between the asterisms Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper.
Because Polaris lies nearly in a direct line with the Earth's rotational axis above the North Pole, it stands almost motionless in the sky, and all the stars of the northern sky appear to rotate around it. It thus provides a nearly fixed point from which to draw measurements for celestial navigation and for astrometry. The elevation of the star above the horizon gives the approximate latitude of the observer.[16]
In 2018 Polaris was 0.66° (39.6 arcminutes) away from the pole of rotation (1.4 times the Moon disc) and so revolves around the pole in a small circle 1.3° in diameter. It will be closest to the pole (about 0.45 degree, or 27 arcminutes) soon after the year 2100.[37] Because it is so close to the celestial north pole, its right ascension is changing rapidly due to the precession of Earth's axis, going from 2.5h in AD 2000 to 6h in AD 2100. Twice in each sidereal day Polaris's azimuth is true north; the rest of the time it is displaced eastward or westward, and the bearing must be corrected using tables or a rule of thumb. The best approximation[36] is made using the leading edge of the "Big Dipper" asterism in the constellation Ursa Major. The leading edge (defined by the stars Dubhe and Merak) is referenced to a clock face, and the true azimuth of Polaris worked out for different latitudes.
The apparent motion of Polaris towards and, in the future, away from the celestial pole, is due to the precession of the equinoxes.[38] The celestial pole will move away from α UMi after the 21st century, passing close by Gamma Cephei by about the 41st century, moving towards Deneb by about the 91st century.[citation needed]
The celestial pole was close to Thuban around 2750 BCE,[38] and during classical antiquity it was slightly closer to Kochab (β UMi) than to Polaris, although still about 10° from either star.[39] It was about the same angular distance from β UMi as to α UMi by the end of late antiquity. The Greek navigator Pytheas in ca. 320 BC described the celestial pole as devoid of stars. However, as one of the brighter stars close to the celestial pole, Polaris was used for navigation at least from late antiquity, and described as ἀεί φανής (aei phanēs) "always visible" by Stobaeus (5th century), also termed Λύχνος (Lychnos) akin to a burner or lamp and would reasonably be described as stella polaris from about the High Middle Ages and onwards, both in Greek and Latin. On his first trans-Atlantic voyage in 1492, Christopher Columbus had to correct for the "circle described by the pole star about the pole".[40] In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, written around 1599, Caesar describes himself as being "as constant as the northern star", although in Caesar's time there was no constant northern star. Despite its relative brightness, it is not, as is popularly believed, the brightest star in the sky.[41]
Polaris was referenced in the classic Nathaniel Bowditch maritime navigation book American Practical Navigator (1802), where it is listed as one of the navigational stars.[42]
Names
[edit]
This artist's concept shows: supergiant Polaris Aa, dwarf Polaris Ab, and the distant dwarf companion Polaris B.
The modern name Polaris[43] is shortened from the Neo-Latin stella polaris ("polar star"), coined in the Renaissance when the star had approached the celestial pole to within a few degrees.[44][45]
Gemma Frisius, writing in 1547, referred to it as stella illa quae polaris dicitur ("that star which is called 'polar'"), placing it 3° 8' from the celestial pole.[44][45]
In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[46] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN's first bulletin of July 2016 included a table of the first two batches of names approved by the WGSN; which included Polaris for the star α Ursae Minoris Aa.[47]
In antiquity, Polaris was not yet the closest naked-eye star to the celestial pole, and the entire constellation of Ursa Minor was used for navigation rather than any single star. Polaris moved close enough to the pole to be the closest naked-eye star, even though still at a distance of several degrees, in the early medieval period, and numerous names referring to this characteristic as polar star have been in use since the medieval period. In Old English, it was known as scip-steorra ("ship-star").[citation needed]
In the "Old English rune poem", the T-rune is apparently associated with "a circumpolar constellation", or the planet Mars.[48]
In the Hindu Puranas, it became personified under the name Dhruva ("immovable, fixed").[49]
In the later medieval period, it became associated with the Marian title of Stella Maris "Star of the Sea" (so in Bartholomaeus Anglicus, c. 1270s),[50] due to an earlier transcription error.[51]
An older English name, attested since the 14th century, is lodestar "guiding star", cognate with the Old Norse leiðarstjarna, Middle High German leitsterne.[52]
The ancient name of the constellation Ursa Minor, Cynosura (from the Greek κυνόσουρα "the dog's tail"),[53] became associated with the pole star in particular by the early modern period. An explicit identification of Mary as stella maris with the polar star (Stella Polaris), as well as the use of Cynosura as a name of the star, is evident in the title Cynosura seu Mariana Stella Polaris (i.e. "Cynosure, or the Marian Polar Star"), a collection of Marian poetry published by Nicolaus Lucensis (Niccolo Barsotti de Lucca) in 1655. [citation needed]
Ursa Minor as depicted in the 964 Persian work Book of Fixed Stars, Polaris named al-Judayy "الجدي" in the lower right.
Its name in traditional pre-Islamic Arab astronomy was al-Judayy الجدي ("the kid", in the sense of a juvenile goat ["le Chevreau"] in Description des Etoiles fixes),[54] and that name was used in medieval Islamic astronomy as well.[55][56] In those times, it was not yet as close to the north celestial pole as it is now, and used to rotate around the pole.[citation needed]
It was invoked as a symbol of steadfastness in poetry, as "steadfast star" by Spenser. Shakespeare's sonnet 116 is an example of the symbolism of the north star as a guiding principle: "[Love] is the star to every wandering bark / Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken."[57]
In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare has Caesar explain his refusal to grant a pardon: "I am as constant as the northern star/Of whose true-fixed and resting quality/There is no fellow in the firmament./The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks,/They are all fire and every one doth shine,/But there's but one in all doth hold his place;/So in the world" (III, i, 65–71). Of course, Polaris will not "constantly" remain as the north star due to precession, but this is only noticeable over centuries.[citation needed]
In Inuit astronomy, Polaris is known as Nuutuittuq (syllabics: ᓅᑐᐃᑦᑐᖅ).[58]
In traditional Lakota star knowledge, Polaris is named "Wičháȟpi Owáŋžila". This translates to "The Star that Sits Still". This name comes from a Lakota story in which he married Tȟapȟúŋ Šá Wíŋ, "Red Cheeked Woman". However, she fell from the heavens, and in his grief Wičháȟpi Owáŋžila stared down from "waŋkátu" (the above land) forever.[59]
The Plains Cree call the star in Nehiyawewin: acâhkos êkâ kâ-âhcît "the star that does not move" (syllabics: ᐊᒑᐦᑯᐢ ᐁᑳ ᑳ ᐋᐦᒌᐟ).[60]
In Mi'kmawi'simk the star is named Tatapn.[61]
In the ancient Finnish worldview, the North Star has also been called taivaannapa and naulatähti ("the nailstar") because it seems to be attached to the firmament or even to act as a fastener for the sky when other stars orbit it. Since the starry sky seemed to rotate around it, the firmament is thought of as a wheel, with the star as the pivot on its axis. The names derived from it were sky pin and world pin.[citation needed]
Distance
[edit]
Since Leavitt's discovery of the Cepheid variable period-luminosity relationship, and corresponding utility as a standard candle, the distance to Polaris has been highly sought-after by astronomers. It is the closest Cepheid to Earth, and thus key to calibrating the Cepheid standard candle; Cepheids form the base of the cosmic distance ladder by which to probe the cosmological nature of the universe.[62]
Distance measurement techniques depend on whether or not components A and B are a physical pair, that is, gravitationally bound. If they are, then their estimated distance can be presumed to be equal.[b] Gravitational binding of this pair is well supported by observations, and the presumption of common distance is widely adopted in historical and recent estimates.[64][65][66][26][67][62][14][9]
For most of the 20th century, available observation technologies remained inadequate to precisely measure absolute parallax.[68][62] Instead, the main technique was to use theoretical models of stellar evolution for both main sequence and giant stars, combined with spectroscopic and photometric data to estimate distances. Such modeling relies on theoretical assumptions and guesses, and contains much systematic error and statistical uncertainties in population data. Even by 2013, these techniques were still struggling to achieve even 10% precision in either main sequence[69] or Cepheid[14] modeling.
Further progress was thus limited until the advent of Hipparcos, the first instrument able to engage in all-sky absolute parallax astrometry.[68] Its first data release was in 1997.
Selected distance estimates to Polaris
Published
Component
Distance
Source
Notes
ly
pc
1966
B
(359)[c]
(110)[c]
Fernie[64]
Photometry and modeling of B[c]
1977
B
(399)[d]
(122)[d]
Turner[65]
Photometry and modeling of B[d]
1978
A
356*
109*
Gauthier and Fernie[66]
Modeling extinction and Cepheid evolution of A
1996
B
359*
110*
Kamper[26]
Photometry and modeling of B, reproducing prior estimates
1997
A
431±29
132±9
Hipparcos[70]
All-sky/absolute[68] parallax observations, of the primary variable[e]
2004-2013
A, B
307±13
94±4
Turner/Turner et al
Cepheid evolution modeling[30], cluster kinematics and ZAMS fitting[30][67], photometry and modeling of B[67], spectral line ratios of A calibrated on yellow supergiants[62]
329±10
101±3
323±7
99±2
2007[f]
A
432±6
133±2
Hipparcos[2][69]
All-sky/absolute parallax observations, revised analysis, of the primary variable[f]
2008
B
357*
109.5*
Usenko & Klochkova[7]
Photometry and modeling of B
2014
A
>385
>118
Neilson[71]
Cepheid evolution modeling, independent of any distance prior
2018
B
521±20
160±6
Hubble, Bond et al.[14]
Relative[68] parallax of the wide component referencing photometrically-calibrated background stars
2018
B
445.3±1.7
136.6±0.5
Gaia DR2[72]
All-sky/absolute[68] parallax observations, of the wide component[g]
2020
B
446.5±1.1
136.9±0.3
Gaia DR3[5][9]
All-sky/absolute parallax observations, of the wide component[h]
^ * This estimate didn't state its uncertainty
After the arrival of the Hipparcos data, the distance to Polaris and consequent analysis of its Cepheid variation was controversial. The Hipparcos distance for Polaris was broadly but not universally adopted.[20] Immediately, the Hipparcos data for the nearest few hundred Cepheids appeared to clarify Cepheid models and to clear up then-tension in higher rungs of the distance ladder.[70] However alternatives remained; particularly by Turner et al, who published several papers between 2004 and 2013.[62]
Stellar parallax is the basis for the parsec, which is the distance from the Sun to an astronomical object which has a parallax angle of one arcsecond. (1 AU and 1 pc are not to scale, 1 pc = about 206265 AU)
In 2018, Bond et al[14] used the Hubble Space Telescope to provide an alternate direct measurement of Polaris's parallax; they summarize the back-and-forth:
However, Turner et al. (2013, hereafter TKUG13)[62] argue that the parallax of Polaris is considerably larger, 10.10 ± 0.20 mas (d = 99±2 pc). The evidence cited by TKUG13 for this “short” distance includes (1) a photometric parallax for Polaris B based on measured photometry, spectral classification, and main-sequence fitting; (2) a claim that there is a sparse cluster of A-, F-, and G-type stars within 3° of Polaris, with proper motions and radial velocities similar to that of the Cepheid, for which the Hipparcos parallaxes combined with main-sequence fitting give a distance of 99 pc; and (3) a determination of the absolute visual magnitude of Polaris based on line ratios in high-resolution spectra, calibrated against supergiants with well-established luminosities. [...]
[...]
In a critique of the TKUG13 paper, van Leeuwen (2013, hereafter L13)[69] defended the Hipparcos parallax by presenting details of the solution, concluding that “the Hipparcos data cannot in any way support” the large parallax advocated by TKUG13. Using Hipparcos data, L13 also questioned the reality of the sparse cluster proposed by TKUG13, presenting evidence against it both from the color versus absolute-magnitude diagram for stars within 3° of Polaris, and their non-clustered distribution of proper motions. Lastly, L13 examined the absolute magnitudes of nearly 400 stars of spectral type F3 V in the Hipparcos catalog with parallax errors of less than 10%, and showed that the absolute magnitude of Polaris B would fall well within the observed MV distribution for F3 V stars, based on either the Hipparcos parallax of A or the larger parallax proposed by TKUG13. Thus, he concluded that the photometric parallax of B does not give a useful discriminant.
— [14]
Bond et al go on to find a trigonometric parallax (independent of Hipparcos) that implies a distance further-still than the "long" Hipparcos distance, well outside the plausible range of the "short" distance estimates.
The next major step in high precision parallax measurements comes from Gaia, a space astrometry mission launched in 2013 and intended to measure stellar parallax to within 25 microarcseconds (μas).[74] Although it was originally planned to limit Gaia's observations to stars fainter than magnitude 5.7, tests carried out during the commissioning phase indicated that Gaia could autonomously identify stars as bright as magnitude 3. When Gaia entered regular scientific operations in July 2014, it was configured to routinely process stars in the magnitude range 3 – 20.[75] Beyond that limit, special procedures are used to download raw scanning data for the remaining 230 stars brighter than magnitude 3; methods to reduce and analyse these data are being developed; and it is expected that there will be "complete sky coverage at the bright end" with standard errors of "a few dozen μas".[76]
Gaia DR2 does not include a parallax for Polaris A, but a distance inferred from Polaris B is 136.6±0.5 pc (445.5±1.7 ly),[72] somewhat further than most previous estimates and (in principle) considerably more accurate. There are known to be considerable systematic uncertainties in DR2.[77]
Gaia DR3 significantly improved both the statistical and systematic uncertainties, although the latter remain numerous and on the order of 10–60 μas[63]; the new estimate is 136.9±0.3 pc (446.5±1.1 ly) using the baseline parallax zeropoint correction.[5][9][h]
Gaia DR4 (expected December 2026) will further improve the statistical and systematic uncertainties in general, and the data pipelines for variable and multiple stars in particular.[78] Multistar orbital solutions will become available, greatly aiding the study of Cepheids and Polaris, and in particular, may enable solving the outer AB orbit.[9]
In popular culture
[edit]
Polaris is depicted in the flag and coat of arms of the Canadian Inuit territory of Nunavut,[79] the flag of the U.S. states of Alaska and Minnesota,[80] and the flag of the U.S. city of Duluth, Minnesota.[81][82]
Vexillology
[edit]
Flag of Nunavut
Flag of Alaska
Flag of Minnesota
Flag of Duluth, Minnesota
Flag of Maine
Flag of Maine (1901–1909)
Flag of the Pan-American Exposition (1901)[83]
Sledge flag used by Francis Leopold McClintock in the Arctic (1852–1854)[84]
Heraldry
[edit]
Coat of arms of Nunavut
Seal of Minnesota
Seal of Maine
Coat of arms of Utsjoki[citation needed]
Ships
[edit]
The Chinese spy ship Beijixing is named after Polaris.
USS Polaris is named after Polaris
Gallery
[edit]
Polaris is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Minor (upper right).
Big Dipper and Ursa Minor in relation to Polaris
A view of Polaris in a small telescope. Polaris B is separated by 18 arc seconds from the primary star, Polaris A.
Polaris, its surrounding integrated flux nebula, and NGC188[dubious – discuss]
See also
[edit]
Stars portal
Astronomy portal
Extraterrestrial sky (for the pole stars of other celestial bodies)
List of nearest supergiants
Polar alignment
Sigma Octantis
Polaris Flare
Regiment of the North Pole
Notes
[edit]
^If A and B are a physical pair, then they share the same parallax; see #Distance
^Their minimum spatial separation is the angular separation: 0.09 mrad (18.2 arcseconds), i.e. 0.009% of their distance from Earth; it could be higher (2x-5x) depending on the orbital eccentricity and orientation of the apsides to Earth's sightline. In any case, distance estimate uncertainties have far exceeded 0.2%, with only Gaia approaching the latter precision, when neglecting systematic uncertainties.[63] Future Gaia data may enable solving this outer orbit, constraining the apsides and thus precisely determining the distance between the components.
^ abcThe paper only estimates an absolute magnitude of roughly 3.3 with an apparent magnitude of 8.51. That implies a distance modulus of 5.21, implying a distance around 110 pc. A notional magnitude error of ±0.3 would correspond to roughly ±16 pc error.
^ abcThe paper only estimates an absolute magnitude of roughly 3.16. Taken with the quoted apparent magnitude 8.6, that implies a distance modulus of 5.44, implying a distance around 122 pc. A notional magnitude error of ±0.1 would correspond to roughly ±6 pc error. Extinction was concluded to be negligible.
^Parallax 7.56±0.48 mas
^ abParallax 7.54±0.11 mas; observations from 1989 to 1993, first analysis published 1997, revised analysis published 2007.
^Statistical distance calculated using a weak distance prior
^ abThe raw parallax is 7.2869±0.0178 mas; applying a basic systematic[63] correction[73] gives 7.3045±0.0178 mas
References
[edit]
^
"Polaris | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary". Cambridge English Dictionary. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
^ abcdefVan Leeuwen, F. (2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 474 (2): 653–664. arXiv:0708.1752. Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. S2CID 18759600.
^ abcdefghijklmEvans, N. R.; Schaefer, G. H.; Bond, H. E.; Bono, G.; Karovska, M.; Nelan, E.; Sasselov, D.; Mason, B. D. (2008). "Direct Detection of the Close Companion of Polaris with The Hubble Space Telescope". The Astronomical Journal. 136 (3): 1137. arXiv:0806.4904. Bibcode:2008AJ....136.1137E. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/136/3/1137. S2CID 16966094.
^ abcdSamus, N. N.; Kazarovets, E. V.; et al. (2017). "General Catalogue of Variable Stars". Astronomy Reports. 5.1. 61 (1): 80–88. Bibcode:2017ARep...61...80S. doi:10.1134/S1063772917010085. S2CID 125853869.
^ abcdVallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 674: A1. arXiv:2208.00211. Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940. S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
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^ abcdefghiBond, Howard E; Nelan, Edmund P; Remage Evans, Nancy; Schaefer, Gail H; Harmer, Dianne (2018). "Hubble Space Telescope Trigonometric Parallax of Polaris B, Companion of the Nearest Cepheid". The Astrophysical Journal. 853 (1): 55. arXiv:1712.08139. Bibcode:2018ApJ...853...55B. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aaa3f9. S2CID 118875464.
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^McNamee, Gregory (2021-05-26). "How the stars, planets and other celestial objects got their names". CNN. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
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^Moore, J. H. (August 1927). "Note on the Longitude of the Lick Observatory". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 39 (230): 249. Bibcode:1927PASP...39..249M. doi:10.1086/123734. S2CID 119469812.
^Roemer, Elizabeth (May 1965). "Orbital Motion of Alpha Ursae Minoris from Radial Velocities". Astrophysical Journal. 141: 1415. Bibcode:1965ApJ...141.1415R. doi:10.1086/148230.
^Wyller, A. A. (December 1957). "Parallax and orbital motion of spectroscopic binary Polaris from photographs taken with the 24-inch Sproul refractor". Astronomical Journal. 62: 389–393. Bibcode:1957AJ.....62..389W. doi:10.1086/107559.
^ abcKamper, Karl W. (June 1996). "Polaris Today". Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. 90: 140. Bibcode:1996JRASC..90..140K.
^Evans, Nancy Remage; Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott; Wolk, Scott J.; Schlegel, Eric; Mason, Brian D.; Karovska, Margarita; Spitzbart, Bradley (2010). "Chandra Observation of Polaris: Census of Low-mass Companions". The Astronomical Journal. 139 (5): 1968. Bibcode:2010AJ....139.1968E. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/139/5/1968.
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^ abNeilson, H. R.; Engle, S. G.; Guinan, E.; Langer, N.; Wasatonic, R. P.; Williams, D. B. (2012). "The Period Change of the Cepheid Polaris Suggests Enhanced Mass Loss". The Astrophysical Journal. 745 (2): L32. arXiv:1201.0761. Bibcode:2012ApJ...745L..32N. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/745/2/L32. S2CID 118625176.
^Engle, Scott G; Guinan, Edward F; Harmanec, Petr (2018). "Toward Ending the Polaris Parallax Debate: A Precise Distance to Our Nearest Cepheid from Gaia DR2". Research Notes of the AAS. 2 (3): 126. Bibcode:2018RNAAS...2..126E. doi:10.3847/2515-5172/aad2d0. S2CID 126329676.
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^ abcTorres, Guillermo (2023). "The spectroscopic orbit of Polaris and its pulsation properties". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 526 (2): 2510. arXiv:2309.03257. Bibcode:2023MNRAS.526.2510T. doi:10.1093/mnras/stad2735.
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^ ab"A visual method to correct a ship's compass using Polaris using Ursa Major as a point of reference". Archived from the original on 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
^Meeus, J. (1990). "Polaris and the North Pole". Journal of the British Astronomical Association. 100: 212. Bibcode:1990JBAA..100..212M.
^ abRidpath, Ian, ed. (2004). Norton's Star Atlas. New York: Pearson Education. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-13-145164-3. Around 4800 years ago Thuban (
α Draconis) lay a mere 0°.1 from the pole. Deneb (α Cygni) will be the brightest star near the pole in about 8000 years' time, at a distance of 7°.5.
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^Lebans, Jim (2022-09-29). "Mi'kmaw astronomer says we should acknowledge we live under Indigenous skies". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
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^ abcKhan, S.; Anderson, R. I.; Miglio, A.; Mosser, B.; Elsworth, Y. P. (2023). "Investigating Gaia EDR3 parallax systematics using asteroseismology of cool giant stars observed by Kepler, K2, and TESS. II. Deciphering Gaia parallax systematics using red clump stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 680: A105. arXiv:2310.03654. Bibcode:2023A&A...680A.105K. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202347919.
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^ abTurner, D. G. (1977). "A Note on the Reddening of Polaris B". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 89: 550. Bibcode:1977PASP...89..550T. doi:10.1086/130161.
^ abGauthier, R. P.; Fernie, J. D. (1978). "The reddening of Polaris". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 90: 739. Bibcode:1978PASP...90..739G. doi:10.1086/130422.
^ abcTurner, D. G. (2005). "Is Polaris Leaving the Cepheid Instability Strip?". Odessa Astronomical Publications. 18: 115. Bibcode:2005OAP....18..115T.
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^ abcVan Leeuwen, F. (2013). "The HIPPARCOS parallax for Polaris". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 550: L3. arXiv:1301.0890. Bibcode:2013A&A...550L...3V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220871.
^ abFeast, M. W.; Catchpole, R. M. (1997). "The Cepheid period-luminosity zero-point from HIPPARCOS trigonometrical parallaxes". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 286 (1): L1 –L5. Bibcode:1997MNRAS.286L...1F. doi:10.1093/mnras/286.1.L1.
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About Sandboarding
Boardsport
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Sandboarding is a boardsport and extreme sport[1] similar to snowboarding that involves riding down a sand dune while standing on a board, with both feet strapped in. Sand sledding can also be practised sitting down or lying on the belly or the back. It typically involves a sand sled, although it is also somewhat possible to use snow sleds or snowboards. The invention of modern sandboarding is largely attributed to Lon Beale, aka 'Doctor Dune', who began sandboarding in 1972 in California's Mojave Desert.
Sandboarding has adherents throughout the world, but is most prevalent in desert areas or coastal areas with beach dunes. It is less popular than snowboarding, partly because it is very difficult to build a mechanised ski lift on a sand dune, meaning participants must climb or ride a dune buggy or all-terrain vehicle back to the top of the dune. On the other hand, dunes are normally available year-round as opposed to ski resorts, which are seasonal.
Equipment
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The sandboard base is much harder than a snowboard, and is built mostly out of formica or laminex with special base materials now being made, that will slide on wet and dry sand. To glide in the sand, the board bottom is often waxed, usually with a paraffin-based sandboard wax, before a run. Afterwards, the bottom of the board may have a lightly sanded look to it. Most terrain sandboards are composed of hardwood ply, while 'full-size' sandboards are a wood, fiber glass, and plastic composite. However, a snowboarding base will sometimes work on steeper dunes as well.[2]
Worldwide
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Sandboarding is practised worldwide, with locations available on every continent except Antarctica. The World's Greatest Sandboarding Destinations lists sandboarding destinations in over 65 territories.[3]
Sandboarding in Hawaii
[edit]
Sand boarding or sand sliding (Hawaiian: heʻe one) was a favourite beach pastime on the islands throughout the first half of the 20th century including the outbreak of World War II.[4]
Sandboarding in Palestine
[edit]
Drorbamidbar has sandboarding in Israel at Negev Desert not far from Ashalim in Ramat HaNegev.
Sandboarding in Australia
[edit]
Little Sahara on Kangaroo Island in South Australia is a sand dune system roughly covering two square kilometres (0.77 sq mi). The highest dune is approximately 70 metres (230 ft) above sea level.
Lucky Bay, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Kalbarri, in Western Australia, is another sandboarding hotspot. Sandboarding Tours are offered in the area.
The Stockton dunes, 2.3 hours north from Sydney. Stockton Bight Sand Dunes system is up to one kilometre (0.62 mi), 32 kilometres (20 mi) long, and covers an area of over 4,200 hectares (10,000 acres; 42,000,000 m2). The massive sand dunes climb up to 40 metres (130 ft) high. Located only minutes from the centre of Nelson Bay, it is the largest sand dune system in Australia.[5]
Sandboarding in Africa
[edit]
Woman sandboarding in Africa
Sandboarding sites in Egypt include the Great Sand Sea near Siwa Oasis واحة سيوة in Egypt's Western Desert, the Qattaniya القطانية sand dunes (1.5 h drive on/off-road from Cairo), El Safra الصفراء and Hadudah هدودة dunes midway between Dahab and St. Catherine in Sinai.
Namibia features sand-skiing, which is similar to sandboarding, performed with skis instead of a board. Most of the sand-skiing is performed in the Namib desert dunes around Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. With a special permit it is sometimes possible to sand-ski at the world's highest dunes in Sossusvlei.[6] Henrik May, a German living in Namibia for some 10 years, set a Guinness World Record in speed sand-skiing on 6 June 2010. He reached a speed of 92.12 km/h (57.24 mph).[7]
After some pioneers like Derek Bredenkamp who boarded Swakopmund around 1974, commercial operators in South Africa began offering sandboarding to tourists in 1994.[8] In 2000 the Sandboarding South Africa league was established. Between 2002 and 2004 the South African Sandboarding League held competitions on the Matterhorn Dune located between Swakopmund and Walvis bay. Competition events included dual slalom, boarder cross and big air events. In 2005 and 2006 Alter Action held sandboarding competitions at Matterhorn but the competitions no longer formed part of the South African Sandboarding League during those years. The league collapsed, then the sport was revived again in 2007 with weekly sandboarding sessions in and around Cape Town and Gauteng.
Sandboarding in the United States
[edit]
Sand Master Park, located in Florence, Oregon is a dedicated sandboarding park and the first of its kind, featuring 200 acres (81 ha; 810,000 m2) of sculpted sand dunes and a full-time pro shop. Dune Riders International is the governing body for competitive sandboarding worldwide and sanctions events each season at Sand Master Park and around the world. Sand Master Park is also the factory outlet for the largest sandboard company in the world, Venomous Sandboards.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, near Kanab, Utah, permits sandboarding on roughly 2,000 acres of sand dunes within its boundaries.[9] Utah also contains sand dunes near Salt Lake City, Lake Powell, and Moab. Additionally, the company Slip Face Sandboards is based in Provo, Utah.
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Alamosa, Colorado has sandboarding on what it calls the tallest dunes in North America.[10] Sandboarding and skiing are permitted anywhere on the dunefield away from vegetated areas.[11][12]
Sandboarding in South America
[edit]
Peru is known for having large sand dunes in Ica, some reaching up to 2 km (1.2 miles). Duna Grande in Ica is the largest sand dune in the world. The Copa Sandboarding Perú (Peru – Sandboarding Cup) has been held near Paracas every year since 2009. Since 2017 the Sandboard World Cup is hosted in the region of Ica by InterSands.[13] There are also great dunes near the capital city (Lima) in Chilca.
In Chile, sandboarding is practiced throughout the north of the country, including the Medanoso dunes in Copiapo (where the Dakar rally takes place), Puerto Viejo beach in Caldera, excellent dunes in Iquique, and some near Viña del Mar.
Sandboarding in Central America
[edit]
Nicaragua is home to Cerro Negro, the youngest volcano in Central America. Since it has steep slopes and volcanic sand, it is possible to sandboard down this active volcano.
Sandboarding in Europe
[edit]
Sandboarding in Greece
A rather small sand mountain is the Monte Kaolino in Hirschau, Germany. Equipped with a 120-metre (390 ft) lift, it was the host of the annual Sandboarding World Championships until 2007.
The Dune of Pilat in France is an hours' drive from Bordeaux; it is the tallest dune in Europe, measuring 3 kilometres across, 500 metres wide and between 100 and 115 metres tall depending on the year.[14]
Amothines is a small desert five kilometres (3 mi) from Katalakkos village in Limnos, Greece. There are many sand dunes there, where people can practice sandboarding.
Sandboarding in the United Kingdom
[edit]
Sand dunes in Holywell, England
Wales is home to the village of Merthyr Mawr that is
2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) from the town of Bridgend, the village is close to a beach and it is home to the "Big Dipper", the second largest sand dune in Europe.[15]
Holywell, Cornwall is also home to a beach with a complex of sand dunes; in the summer and during peak times, local shops that cater for beach goers also sell sandboards.
The Braunton Burrows sand dunes on the Devon coast, was the filming location for where Alex Bird became the first sandboarder to be towed by a car on British shores.[16]
In the North East region of the United Kingdom, there is a small beach at Seaton Sluice where people can sandboard. This is a good alternative to sledding, as there is insufficient snow to support sledding there, even though the UK has a rather cold climate, with chilly winters and cool summers.
Sandboarding in the Russian Federation
[edit]
Сэндбординг в пустыне п. Шойна НАО
Sandboarding in Russia began to develop and popularize in the village of Shoyna in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Local entrepreneur and public figure Fedor Shirokiy is a pioneer in this development. The Shoyna sand dunes are located above the Arctic Circle, offering a unique opportunity to master this sport in the extreme Arctic conditions.
Events
[edit]
Sandboarding World Championship – The SWC was held annually in Hirschau (until 2007), Germany at Monte Kaolino, currently also the site of Europe's largest sand hill. Riders can board down dunes over 90 m (300 feet) tall, riding into a water landing site at the base of the hill. It has a sand lift, the only one in the world. Events include slalom (akin to snowboarding's parallel giant slalom), freestyle (similar to freestyle snowboarding) and sandboard cross (cf. snowboard cross).
The current Sandboard World Cup is hosted in Ica - Peru every two years.
Sand Master Jam – Annual sandboarding event that takes place in Florence, Oregon at Sand Master Park. This event occurs in late spring or early summer. The Sand Master Jam has been held since 1996.
Pan-American Sandboarding Challenge – This event takes place in July in Aquiraz, Ceara, Brazil at Prainha's Beach. It features amateurs and professionals who wish to compete in freestyle and jump events.
Sand Sports Super Show – Annual outdoor event for all sand sports, including sandboarding. This three-day event takes place in September in Costa Mesa, California at the Orange County Fair and Expo Center.
Sand Spirit - Annual event that takes place at Monte Kaolino, Germany.
References
[edit]
^
"What is sandboarding and how does it work?". Sand-boarding.com. 4 February 2025.
^Sand-boarding.com (16 April 2021). "Sandboarding: Facts and Figures". Surf The Sand. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
^Soley, Jack (2022). The World's Greatest Sandboarding Destinations. Jack Soley. p. 200. ISBN 9798360473794.
^Clark, John R. K. (2011). Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press. pp. 85–8. ISBN 978-0-8248-3414-2.
^"Port Stephens Visitors Information Centre". Archived from the original on 16 February 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
^"Xtreme Spots". Xtreme Spots. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
^"The World Record", Ski Namibia, Retrieved 5 January 2013
^"Sandboarding".
^""Sandboarding at Coral Pink Sand Dunes"". Retrieved 21 March 2022.
^"Park Always Open - No Reservations Needed to Visit". US National Park Service. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
^"Sandboarding and Sand Sledding". US National Park Service. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
^"Where to go sandboarding in the US". sand-boarding.com. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
^Peru's top sandboarders compete tomorrow in Paracas, Living Peru. Sports. 26-11-2010. Retrieved 11-26-2010
^Soley, Jack (2022). The Sandboarding Book. Jack Soley. p. 111. ISBN 9798498830896.
^"A sleepy village in Wales is home to the second largest sand dune in Europe". 11 July 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
^"JEEP RENEGADE DESERT HAWK SANDBOARDING STUNT". Retrieved 5 April 2019.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandboarding.
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