Galloway International Dark Sky Park

Galloway Forest Park is one of the best places in the UK to enjoy the night sky.

In 2009, it became one of the first in the world to be designated an International Dark Sky Park. It was also awarded a Gold Tier Park for its breath-taking and rare stargazing conditions.

What is an International Dark Sky Park?

An International Dark Sky Park is an area committed to protecting dark skies by controlling light pollution. 

There are now over 100 Dark Sky Places worldwide, all committed to preserving the night sky.

Galloway is special due to its remoteness. On a clear night, over 7000 stars and planets are visible with the naked eye, and the bright band of the Milky Way is usually easy to see arching across the sky.

We were excited to work with the Glasgow Science Centre on this series about Scotland's dark skies and how to get out and explore them. 

During our year-long journey around the sun, the stars appear in different positions. Some are only visible at certain times of year. Some stars make patterns, known as constellations. All around the world, people have joined these dots in the night sky and created stories to explain them.  

A little closer to home, the moon can look stunning through binoculars or a telescope.

Look out for a wispy white cloud running across the sky. That’s the billions of stars within our own galaxy, the Milky Way. 

Look carefully and you might see the next galaxy, Andromeda. At an amazing 14.7 million trillion miles away, it’s the most distant thing you can see with your naked eye. 

Just a few hundred million miles away from us, the planet Jupiter is easier to see. Look carefully through binoculars or a telescope and you might spot the largest of Jupiter’s moons, Ganymede. Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are all roughly the same size as Earth’s moon.

You’ll get a great view from the 16 forests that make up Galloway Forest Park. Our visitor hub at Kirroughtree provides information points to help you identify the constellations and planets you can see.

Some favourite stargazing locations are:

• Clatteringshaws Loch
• Stroan Loch
• Glentrool