The South Downs National Park’s popular Dark Skies Festival returns on 10th February, with nine days of celebrations to explore the awesome wonders of the dark skies of the South Downs, which remains one of only 21 International Dark Sky Reserves in the world.

Among the highlights will be a dark skies-themed ride at 450ft on Brighton’s i360, self-guided walks through the solar system at Queen Elizabeth and Seven Sisters Country Parks, seafront star parties, night-time walks, nocturnal wildlife, celestial storytelling and planetarium shows.

Dan Oakley, the dark skies expert for the National Park, said:

“The fact we have this precious Dark Sky reserve in the heart of the South East is amazing. We have some incredibly dark patches that allow you to see so much of the universe with just the naked eye and it’s an experience we want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy. The South Downs landscape is incredible enough, but look up, and there’s another dimension to explore. It’s an opportunity to connect with nature on its biggest scale – the universe itself.”

The theme of this year’s event is “Take Action for Nature and Climate” and people will be able to find out more about nocturnal wildlife and learn how to build their very own bat box.

You can see the full programme and event timings here. Booking may be needed and all events are weather-dependent. You can also download a free Dark Sky Discovery pack.  

Photo: Michael Steven Harris – Devil’s Dyke leading to the Milky Way