The fourth annual Dark Skies Festival will take place from Saturday 12th to Sunday 20th February 2022.
Lancashire’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the Forest of Bowland, has some of the darkest skies in England and will showcase them in this week-long event.
Due to the festival’s popularity, many of the in-person events are fully booked, however there’s still time to reserve your place on these fantastic online events:
LIVE MOON WATCH
Sunday 13th February
19:00 – 20:00
See a live transmitted show of our moon from the comfort of your own home!
If the weather is poor, astronomer Robert Ince will have plenty of his own similar footage to share.
This event is free to attend.
EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE WITH ROBOTS
Monday 14th February
14:00 – 15:00
Enjoy a fascinating look into the world of space exploration with Lancaster University’s, Dr Chris Arridge.
Uncover the history of solar system exploration, including the science behind the Mars Curiosity and Perseverance landers and the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and it’s largest moon Titan, as well as future missions to Jupiter and the challenges of exploring the outer edges of our solar system.
This event is free to attend.
DISCOVERING BOWLAND’S BATS
Tuesday 15th February
14:00 – 15:00
Self-proclaimed “bat lady” and volunteer bat carer, Gail Armstrong, will lead this online session all about the fascinating, night-flying mammals that inhabit the Forest of Bowland!
This event is free to attend.
AN INTRODUCTION TO SMARTPHONE NIGHT SKY PHOTOGRAPHY
Wednesday 16th February
19:00 – 20:00
If you’d like to learn some helpful tips for capturing photos of the night sky that really do it justice, this is the perfect event for you!
Join astronomer Robert Ince for an online introduction to astrophotography using smartphones. Learn how to use your phone to capture the beauty of the night sky, including the Milky Way, the moon and even auroras.
This event is free to attend.
THE RIGHT LIGHT AT NIGHT
Thursday 17th February
19:00 – 20:30
Steve Tonkin, Dark Sky Advisor with Cranborne Chase AONB (an International Dark Sky Reserve), will lead this virtual session as part of his continuous mission to raise awareness about the issue of light pollution.
It was astronomers who first identified light pollution to be a problem, and Steve explains how it is now widely recognised that artificial light at night can have profoundly negative effects on human health. Additionally, Steve will delve into the effects of light pollution on wildlife.
This event is free to attend.
Click here to discover more about these online sessions and find out how to book your place!
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