Awe-inspiring, otherworldly, special. Just some of the words you might use to describe a dark sky glistening with twinkly stars in every direction.
Dark skies are one of the most amazing things about the South Downs National Park – located next to some of the busiest cities and towns in the UK and yet with an amazing core of dark sky that make it every stargazer’s dream.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the South Downs National Park becoming an International Dark Sky Reserve, which is also called ‘The Moore’s Reserve’ after the late Sir Patrick Moore, the famous Sussex astronom
To celebrate, the National Park’s Dark Skies Festival returns bigger and better than ever, with a bumper line-up of events across Sussex and Hampshire between 12th and 22nd February.
This year will include stargazing events at Seven Sisters and Queen Elizabeth Country Parks, Amberley Museum, Alice Holt Forest, Winchester Science Centre and on Brighton seafront.
Meanwhile, the new Dark Skies Explorer Trail will launch, giving people the opportunity to listen to the story of Great Bear as she visits different constellations.
Expert-led nightwalks about nocturnal wildlife and animals and plants that glow in the dark (biofluorescence), talks, podcasts, and cosmic storytelling sessions will complete the action-packed schedule.
Stunning photography of the dark skies will also be celebrated in this year’s festival, with exhibitions and astrophotography workshops.
Acclaimed travel author and DarkSky International editor Megan Eaves-Egenes will be launching her new book Nightfaring: In Search of the Disappearing Darkness at a special 10th anniversary celebration evening at the South Downs Centre.
It comes as the National Park Authority is strengthening its commitment to dark skies in its forthcoming Partnership Management Plan, which lays out priorities for the National Park and its partners over the next five years.
Among the goals is expanding the current dark sky core – the very darkest areas – of the International Dark Sky Reserve by 10 per cent by 2031 by working with lighting authorities and local communities to further reduce light pollution.
Siôn McGeever, Chief Executive of the National Park Authority, said: “Dark, starry skies are such an integral part of what makes the South Downs National Park so special and it’s wonderful to be celebrating the 10th anniversary as an international reserve. We’re still one of only 25 International Dark Sky Reserves in the world and it’s something we really want to protect.
“We have big ambitions for nature recovery across the region and that can only be achieved by having skies with low levels of light pollution as so many animals and plants rely on the darkness.
“We’re also committed to our goal that every child should be able to experience the wonder of a star-filled night sky.”
Elinor Newman, Dark Skies Festival organiser, said: “We’re so excited for this year’s festival and are really pulling out all the stops to make it extra special for our 10th birthday. As well as being vital for wildlife, there’s mounting evidence that dark skies are important for our natural rhythm and boosting your mental wellbeing.
“We really want to inspire people of all ages to embrace the darkness and learn more about why dark skies are so important for people and nature.
“As always we’re reliant on the weather, so it’s worth checking out our social media feeds before any events for useful updates.”
See the full programme here: southdowns.gov.uk/dark-skies-hub/dark-skies-festival
Some events do not need to be booked and you can just turn up, whereas others are ticketed and needed to be booked online.
Launched in 2020, the Annual Star Count found that over 51 per cent of people in the UK are living with severe light pollution and only 5 per cent of respondents said they could count over 30 stars in the Orion constellation.
A light-polluted sky has a negative impact on wildlife, disrupting the rhythms of key nocturnal species. This can lead to a decline in insects, birds, bats and other species. In the South Downs National Park, 17 out of the UK’s 18 native bat species have been recorded and it’s also a haven for owls, moths, churring nightjars and other creatures.
