Starry, starry night

With Cranborne Chase AONB confirmed as an International Dark Sky Reserve there’s a bright future for Dorset’s dark skies

- Bob Mizon MBE

The would-be stargazer in the UK may have to travel far to find a location where a pristine night sky can be observed. There are however reasons for optimism, especially here in Dorset. For decades the Commission for Dark Skies (CfDS), the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and other environmentally conscious bodies have been striving to stem the tide of light pollution, working towards star-quality lighting resulting in a better view of the heavens for all. The tide is gradually turning. Almost all new LED road lights in the UK are designed to avoid upward emissions (though many are too bright, causing unnecessary skyglow). The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), based in Tucson, Arizona, has added its weight to national efforts with its Dark Sky Places scheme: areas of guaranteed darkness are now established beneath some of the world’s remaining starry night skies.

The Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), an area of nearly a thousand square kilometres, covering parts of Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset, is one of the UK’s finest landscapes. On light pollution maps it stands out as an island of darkness in south-central England. That half of its environment above the horizon will now receive assured protection. It was formally awarded the status of an IDA International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR) on 18 October 2019, the 14th such Reserve in the world. This was the result of over ten years’ work by the AONB Dark Sky project team, led by Amanda Scott for the last 18 months.