Stargazing along the Northumberland Coast
Four fabulous stargazing events are being organised by the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership and Northumberland Astronomical Society (NASTRO) and will take place over the next three months.
STARGAZERS will have the opportunity to observe the night sky at fantastic venues along the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) with expert guidance and assistance from NASTRO.
The first stargazing evening is being held at the Tin Church, Low Newton on Tuesday 28th January, followed by Lindisfarne Castle on Friday 14th February, Bamburgh Pavilion on Saturday 15th March and finally on Saturday 22nd March at Hunting Hall Farm, Lowick. The AONB Partnership and NASTRO are grateful to the National Trust at Lindisfarne Castle, Tom and Karen Burn at Hunting Hall and both Low Newton and Bamburgh Parish Councils for supporting these events.
Each event will run from 8.00pm to 10.00pm, it will feature an indoor guided tour of the Solar System, a Laser guided tour of the night sky, a series of other short talks and, weather permitting, be followed by an opportunity to observe the stars using a variety of telescopes.
All four events are free but booking is essential as spaces are limited – please follow the links below to book your places – Refreshments will be available and the events are suitable for all ages but strictly no dogs allowed. Please bring suitable warm clothing and a torch.
Tuesday 28th January – The Tin Church at Low Newton
Friday 14th February – Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island
Saturday 15th March – The Pavilion, Bamburgh
Saturday 22nd March – Hunting Hall Farm, Lowick
The events are part of the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership’s objective to raise awareness of the importance of the area’s dark skies. The overall purpose of the AONB is to conserve and enhance its wonderful natural and cultural heritage. The night sky has been recognised as an important element of the experience of that heritage. Increasing light pollution, even in rural Northumberland, jeopardises the dark sky quality. The exceptional quality of the dark skies in Northumberland was recently recognised with the awarding of ‘Gold Tier Status’ Dark Sky Reserve.
