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.
Don't forget, our ninth Dark Skies Festival is coming up on 9 - 25 February 2024. During this two week long festival, some of our outstanding local providers give you the chance to explore some of the darkest, starry skies the North York Moors has to offer, whilst teaching you all about the stars that blanket the skies above us. Take a look at our events programme here and join us on a journey out of this world!
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.
