Stargazing in South Downs National Park

Stargazing – a simple yet intriguing and inspiring evening activity. The hope that a shooting star might pass, or that there will be a full moon, or seeing who can spot the biggest star – there’s so much excitement and interest in observing dark skies. We recommend stargazing between October and March, which is known as ‘observing season’ as this is the time from when clocks go back, and day light hours begin to fade and nights become longer.

In the West of the South Downs National Park, YHA South Downs is another great spot for observing cosmos and constellations. Over two weeks in February, the Dark Skies festival takes place and celebrates the skies with parties, talks, group observations and other family activities. You don’t have to wait for a festival to admire the remarkable starry sights, with the Dark Skies boxes you can observe the skies from the hostel grounds for a magical evening.

You can find out more about the festival here.