A velvety black sky scattered with shining stars is a sight we should all have the opportunity to see. But too often, light pollution obscures our view of stars. Just 3% of people in England experience ‘truly dark skies’, and 61% of us live in areas with severe light pollution. That’s why we need your help to map the nation’s view of the stars, so we can better protect our dark skies in the countryside and our towns and cities. By counting the number of stars you can see in the constellation of Orion this February, you’ll help us build a better picture of our view of the stars.
This year we’re asking everyone to take part in Star Count from home.
Want to take part? Sign up here.
Not sure how to take part? Here are our five simple steps for doing a Star Count from home.
- Find a good spot to do your Star Count. This could be your garden, balcony, doorstep or even bedroom window. You’ll need to be able to look south.
- Turn off all the lights in your home so it’s as dark as possible.
- Look south in the night sky (the way satellite dishes face)
- Let your eyes adjust to the dark – the longer you wait, the better. Count the number of stars you can see within the rectangle formed by the four corner stars.
- Head to our website to submit your count and help us map the nation’s view of the night sky.
Emma
Emma Marrington
Dark skies campaigner
PS: Please don’t travel to do a Star Count, and remember to stay safe and observe social distancing rules.
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