CPRE Star Count 2023 – mapping the beauty of dark skies

Star Count Week 2023 – stargazers all over the UK logged their view of the stars to map truly dark skies, and places where light pollution spoilt the night. Lots of you joined us in this nationwide citizen science project to improve the quality of our night skies.

Although the beauty of a starry night sky is one of the joys of the countryside, CPRE Star Count 2023 results show that, sadly, most people can’t easily enjoy that sight because of light pollution where they live. Three-quarters of people in the UK have an obscured view of the night sky.

Every result helps give us a better picture of light polluted areas both across the county and compared to the rest of the UK.

It’s very simple and doesn’t require any scientific know-how or equpiment, just some warm clothing and a bit of patience. We asked you just to step outside and let your eyes grow used to the dark. It’s worth the wait as your eyesight adjusts and more and more stars become visible. And then to count the number of stars you could spot in a particular part of the constellation of Orion the hunter.

We also had a family activity pack too to get children excited and involved!

Read on here to find out more about the importance of dark skies and why dark sky protection has been featured on national television.