Dark Skies

[vegas]

I've done a search and not found an obvious thread that will answer my question.

I live outside Peterborough and am quite blessed as my skies are quite good for the outskirts of a city. I can normally see 5 stars within the Great Square. Andromeda is visible on the darkest nights and Orions sword definitely has a "hum" to it, meaning it's not just a star...

What I was wondering is whether there is either an existing thread with best Dark Sky sites in general areas, or if the good people of SGL could let me know where I would find the best Dark Skies within my area.

I am very keen to at least glimpse the Milky Way with the naked eye. I was very lucky a few years ago and was in Minnesota and observed the Northern Lights and it was spell binding, I am hoping that a similar view of the Milky Way will be just as awe inspiring.

I have checked the Dark Skies site that has been linked on here several times however it is not clear to me where precisely I need to be heading.

I fully accept I would need to travel further afield to achieve the best skies, but I was just wondering if anyone knew of any skies within the Cambridgeshire/Lincs/Northamptonshire/Leicestershire vicinity where I could get clear Milky Way views.

As a wider idea, if no such thread exists so far, would it be a good idea for people to list on one thread where best to achieve Dark Skies so we can build our own "map" of the UK and the best skies in each area?

Cheers

Stuart

[Steve922]

I would have thought that if you can see stars in the Great Square, the Nilky Way should also be visible to you.

I saw an OS-type map of Dark Skies in the UK at the weekend - I think being sold by the BAA. If that is any help?

Steve

[vegas]

Thanks i'll search for that.

There is definitely a flurry of stars along the run of where the Milkyway however nothing that is alike to what one would expect when thinking of those dark skies and views of the Milkyway that many speak about here.

[scotastro]

Hey there is only one place to go and that's Galloway as in Dumfries & Galloway. The 300 square miles of the Galloway Forest are about to get officially recognised Dark Sky Park status. The area around it is equally as good.

All being well the official announcement will be on 16th Nov. The first such site in UK and Europe too.

Mike

But then I'm biased - I live here.

[Steve922]

Is it dark there because its raining? :-)

Steve

[Cygnus]

I wanna go there!!! A 2hr or so drive from Glasgow and its cloudy skies... heaven!!!

[Cygnus]

Lol. That's Scotland for you.

[Cygnus]

Lol. That's Scotland for you.

Sorry that was meant to be a reply to Steve922.

[Cygnus]

Also, the island of Iona on the west coast of Scotland is brilliant for stargazing.

[Lews Therin]

Hi there,

If you go to http://avex.org.free.fr/cartes-pl/uk/UK-pl-relief-topo.html, then you can zoom in, and see the light pollution for pretty much every town and village - you can see most of the villages and roads near Peterborough which have blue or night blue colouring, which "should" let you see the Milky Way

I went on holiday 2 years ago just outside a little village called Bere Regis in Dorset, and the Milky Way was spectacular - better even than the views I've seen of it in the Highlands.

[Steve922]

That's a great link mate. Thanks for posting.

Steve

[vegas]

Thanks for that link, very helpful.

Given my situ in the fens, I know there must be the opportunity for good dark skies, as we have alot of sky and some very remote areas, I will peruse this site now and hopefully find somewhere to head off too.