Explore some of the darkest night skies
The big open skies of the North York Moors are breath-taking by day, and also by night when the dark sky panorama is revealed, showcasing a magnitude of stars, planets, moons and more...
In December 2020, we were designated an International Dark Sky Reserve by DarkSky (formerly International Dark-Sky Association), one of only 21 in the world. We're officially one of the best places in the country to see stars, because of the low light pollution levels and clear horizons. From a town or city you'll be lucky to spot more than a handful of stars but the further away you get from street lights, the better the view – in the darkest areas of the National Park you can spy up to 2,000 at any one time.
If you're looking for our next Dark Skies Festival, our Dark Skies Fringe Festival is coming up this October! Join us between 25 October - 3 November to celebrate our fantastic Fringe Festival, which will have stargazing events for the whole family. Don't forget to check our Dark Skies Festival mini site for more information closer to the date, here!
We're celebrating our 10th Dark Skies Festival!
In February 2025, we will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of our incredible Dark Skies Festival, in collaboration with the Yorkshire Dales National Park. We have plans to make this festival our biggest and best yet, and can't wait to share with you all the exciting events and activities we have up our sleeves with you all. Mark your diaries for 14 February - 2 March 2025, and keep an eye on our Dark Skies website here for more information coming soon...
There's never been a better time to visit for a spot of stargazing. We have plenty of Dark Skies Friendly businesses and other places to enjoy all our night skies have to offer too.