Did you know that 80% of the UK population live under light polluted skies? This means that you can only see a handful of stars if you are lucky.
Escaping Light Pollution
The North York Moors is a designated an International Dark Sky Reserve, one of only 19 in the world. This means that we are officially one of the best places in the country to see stars because of the low light pollution levels and clear horizons. So, in the darkest areas of the National Park, you can see up to 2,000 stars at any time.
The Magic of the Night Sky
When we moved to Appleton, we couldn’t believe the night skies; they are incredible. On a moonless night, it’s even possible to see the Milky Way from the Long Barn garden. In fact, we’ve seen it when walking back from the Moors Inn. Guests have also watched the Northern Lights from the Long Barn courtyard.
The Magic of the Night Sky
We are accredited as “Dark Skies Friendly” by the North York Moors. This means we try to make it easy for you to enjoy your stay in a dark skies area.
So, in the Long Barn you’ll find
- Two sets of binoculars for star gazing.
- Bean bags to gaze upwards in comfort from the courtyard.
- Wind up torches
- Star gazing apps on the Long Barn Ipad; ISS Live Noe and Star Walk 2.
- Minimal outside lighting outside to reduce light pollution.
Where to Learn More
The best place for current information is the North York moors web site. Look out for extra activities during the Dark Skies Festival in February. There’s also a Dark Skies Fringe Festival in October.
Three places in particular are recognised as special sites in the National Park. The two National Park Centres at Sutton Bank and Danby plus Dalby Observatories in Dalby Forest are Dark Sky Discovery Sites (Milky Way class) This means that the galaxy is often visible to the naked eye from the sites. Dark Sky Discovery is a network of organisations that help people to enjoy the night sky.
Tips for Stargazing
Last year was an epic time to see the Northen Lights locally. We recommend following local Astro Dog on Facebook as well as downloading the AuroraWatch app on your phone. Both of these have tipped us off when the conditions were good to go outside and gaze upwards.
There is something humbling about gazing up to the night sky and all its constellations. We highly recommend it.
For the best places for photographs, check out these recomendations. Thank you to the 3 professionals who took the 3 photos above; Tony Marsh, Steve Bell and Grillo. All others were taken by us or villagers on our phones!
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