dark skies?

[algol]

anyone know any good dark sites in the north west? around the wigan/bolton ish area?

[cygnusx1]

Goodness, would have thought you've got about the best skies in the whole of the UK, besides N Scotland! :shock:

[Naz]

Goodness, would have thought you've got about the best skies in the whole of the UK, besides N Scotland! :shock:

Not with the orange glow from Wigan, Bolton, Manchester, Liverpool, St Helens, Chorley, Rochdale, Bury, Preston, Blackburn etc. All with in 40 miles. Try the Slaidburn area in the Trough of Bowland.

Isn't there an Astronomy centre some where near Rawtenstall?

Archie

[algol]

slaidburn looks great mate, quite a trek though lol

also thought about heading into the peak district maybe for a weekend break or longer anyone any experience of that area?

[acey]

I've got the Philip's Dark Skies map, which is a bit out of date though only a few years old (such is the growth of light pollution), but from that I reckon you need to get to the Yorkshire Dales or Lake District to start seeing beyond mag 5.5. There's a region east of Chorley, bordered by Darwen and Haslingden, that's marked as limiting mag 4.5-5, also a patch towards the coast between Ormskirk and Leyland with same limit. But the really dark zone (5.5+) doesn't start until Settle/Ingleton/Kirkby Lonsdale. From the map, it looks like the area round Clapham (on the A65 between Settle and Ingleton) would be the nearest place to you with dark sky - NE corner of Forest of Bowlam.

Andrew

[cygnusx1]

Goodness, would have thought you've got about the best skies in the whole of the UK, besides N Scotland! :shock:

Not with the orange glow from Wigan, Bolton, Manchester, Liverpool, St Helens, Chorley, Rochdale, Bury, Preston, Blackburn etc. All with in 40 miles. Try the Slaidburn area in the Trough of Bowland.

Isn't there an Astronomy centre some where near Rawtenstall?

Archie

Misread the OP, my error, was thinking more like far NW, near Carlisle , scottish borders!

[Naz]

No problem Kevin, as I used to spend some time in that area, I know what it's like for light pollution.

Archie