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Galloway Forest 1st Dark Sky Park


scotastro

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To coincide with 2009 International Year of Astronomy (IYA), the Galloway Forest Park in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland announced its plans to become Europe’s first Dark Sky Park. This has generated a lot of interest in the TV, radio and newspapers. You may well have seen articles in the Guardian last week or Sunday mail today (my observatory was used for the pictures).

The forest, which covers 300 square miles rates as a 3 on the Bortle scale. This scale ranges from Class 9 – Inner City Sky – where "the only celestial objects that really provide pleasing telescopic views are the Moon, the planets, and a few of the brightest star clusters (if you can find them)," to Class 1 – Excellent Dark-Sky Site – where "the galaxy M33 is an obvious naked-eye object" and "airglow… is readily apparent." Class 3 is "Rural Sky," meaning that while "the Milky Way still appears complex.. zodiacal light is striking... M33 is easy with averted vision."

The Galloway Forest Park contains the darkest skies in Europe, and Steve Owens, co-coordinator of the IYA in the UK, is determined to gain recognition from the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) as a lasting legacy for the 2009 celebrations. The certification process is challenging, to earn dark sky park status, Wigtownshire AS, Galloway Astronomy Centre and Forestry Commission for Galloway are working together to take digital photographs of the night sky and readings by light meters at different points in the park. Dark Sky Park status does not mean there are no lights visible, but that they are kept as unobtrusive as possible.

People are always asking where to go to observe dark skies – now you know.

Mike

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All they need to do now is move it south a bit :s

Seriously, great news. I have been frequenting FC sites for, well, all my life, and have just returned from another holiday in one. They do a fantastic work (my dream job, forest management) and this site can only help to raise the profile and interest in dark skies across the UK. it would be great to see similar initiatives up and down the country.

Once status like that gets granted, I imagine that anyone planning things which would increase light pollution would be up against a barrage of red tape. Lets hope it all goes well.

TJ

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"M33 is easy with averted vision."
Would be interested to hear if that is really so, even in Galloway! I can remember just once in my life experiencing what I think would have been a 'Bortle 2' sky - in my teens when the summer MW was bright enough to cast shadows. Just once in my life. Yet I don't know if even then - with my younger eyes - I'd have been able to pick out M33 if it had been visible.

But it would be nice to be proved wrong, here!

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Pete, Ive never tried to see M33 naked eye from Galloway but I will attempt it next trip out. From where I observe which is not too far South of Dalmelington, the sky to the south is very dark, there is a faint glow from what I presume is Newton Stewart but thats it, Ive seen M13 with ease and have difficulty counting the number of stars in the square of Pegasus. Its not the darkest sky in the country but way darker than Keilder, darkest skies ive viewed was from Sourlies Bothy in the NW.

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Pete, Ive never tried to see M33 naked eye from Galloway but I will attempt it next trip out. From where I observe which is not too far South of Dalmelington, the sky to the south is very dark, there is a faint glow from what I presume is Newton Stewart but thats it, Ive seen M13 with ease and have difficulty counting the number of stars in the square of Pegasus. Its not the darkest sky in the country but way darker than Keilder, darkest skies ive viewed was from Sourlies Bothy in the NW.

Way darker than Kielder! :nono: :hello2:

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Pete, Ive never tried to see M33 naked eye from Galloway but I will attempt it next trip out.

If you're dark sky to the North as well, try for M81 naked eye: I believe it's possible. Another one on the fringe - easy in the bins from my 'normal dark' site.
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Great news, they could have done it with the NY Moors but the glow from Teesside and York is fairly bright.

The Brecons just above Merthyr are quite good, I was surprised how dark it was there considering all the towns nearby.

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