Holiday!

[Wikiastro]

Persuaded my OH that Dufries and Galloway would be a lovely spot for a break at the start of August.  Picked out a nice little cottage, some beaches nearby for the toddler and castles etc for daytime.  It was only then I mentioned - "oh, by the way, there's an observatory out that way, and it's got dark sky status, so I'll be taking my scope."

Win.

All I need now is the weather.  HAHAHA.  It'll never work.

Seriously though, any ideas what I should try and pick out that I'd never manage in LP'd Leeds?  I'm looking forward to the Milky Way - never seen it.

PS Just checked the lunar cycle and it's a new moon!

[ronin]

Probably have some nice long not dark nights as well at that time of year and in that Northern location.

[Wikiastro]

I know. But us teachers have to take out hols when we are told. But here are plenty of them.

[ronin]

Only mentioned it as last year someone went in mid-July and was looking forward to the dark sky location.

It never got dark at all for them.

Quite a few read Dark Sky Location and really it means negligible light pollution and does not take account of the otherwise seasonal fluctuations. It may not be "dark" at all in the summer period.

Looks like it is a low area for the infamous midges: http://midgeforecast.co.uk/