5 days Ago By [email protected] (Liv Clarke)
Now that long nights are here there’s plenty of opportunities to look up at the night sky and indulge in a spot of stargazing. It’s awe-inspiring to see the dazzling displays above us, whether it’s searching for constellations or watching a shooting star. Several meteor showers are expected in the coming weeks, the first being the Leonids shower which usually peaks in mid-November and features fast, bright meteors.
In December the Geminids shower will peak between the 13 and 14, while the Ursids shower is best seen between December 21 and 22. Light pollution can often hinder how much we can see in the night sky, but luckily for us one of the best stargazing locations in the country is just a short drive away from Greater Manchester. Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) in North Wales has been named in a list of the top ten stargazing locations according to researchers from Saga Holidays.
READ MORE: The charming village just two hours from Manchester that's like stepping back in time You may know it best for walks up Snowdon and incredible mountain scenery, but this national park is also an excellent spot for admiring the night sky having received Dark Sky Reserve status in 2015. Optimal stargazing locations across the park include the Cwm Cynfal Viewpoint, Lyn n Dywarchen, Lynnau Cregennen, and Bwlch y Groes. The Yorkshire Dales is another location which was featured in the top ten list (Image: Andy Ward / Saga Holidays) For those based closer to Yorkshire, there’s another northern location that has made the list.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park was awarded an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2020.The park benefits from low levels of light pollution as well as an annual average cloud cover of 64per cent. It is also home to four Dark Sky Discovery sites at the Hawes and Malham visitor centres, Buckden car park, and Tan Hill Inn.
For even more stargazing opportunities, the park will host a Dark Skies Festival alongside the North Yorkshire Moors National Park between February 14 and March 2 2025. Sharing some stargazing advice, Dr Sheona Urquhart, a lecturer in astrophysics said:“There are a number of factors to consider when it comes to the best locations for stargazing. The obvious one would be darkness - the darker the better really.
Altitude also helps as you can get above the clouds to see the clearest views.” “You also don’t need fancy equipment, you’d be amazed at what you can see with a decent set of binoculars, or even with your naked eye on clear nights.These dark sky areas allow everyone, from the professional to the amateur to get out there, see the wonders of the night sky with their own eyes.
” The UK’s stop stargazing locations: South Downs National Park Cranborne Chase North Yorkshire Moors Northumberland National Park Yorkshire Dales Exmoor National Park Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) Kerry Dark Sky Reserve Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) Galloway Forest Park For more of the latest What's On news, click here..
