DARK SKIES. WHAT'S HIDING IN THE NIGHT SKIES OF YORKSHIRE?

Hi my dear friends. Stargazing is a marvellous activity. Dark skies are perfect for that so today we are going to know more about "Dark Skies" and "Stargazing" in U.K.  I hope you'll like it!

Hola mis queridos amigos. Observar las estrellas es una actividad maravillosa. Los cielos oscuros son perfectos para eso así que hoy vamos a saber más sobre "Cielos oscuros" y "Observar las estrellas" en Reino Unido. ¡Espero que os guste!

Info: SPEAK UP magazine

Photos:dark.skies.festival.yorshire  /  dark.sky  /  darkskiesnationalpark.org.uk  /  north.york.moors.national.park (2)  /  yorkshire.dales.nation

DARK SKIES.  WHAT'S HIDING IN THE NIGHT SKIES OF YORKSHIRE?

The darker the sky, the more you can see;  the blacker the night, the brighter the Moon, the dimmer the streets, the stronger the glow;  the deeper the shade, the lighter the view.

The Yorkshire poet Ian McMillan wrote these words as an ode to the Dark Skies Festival.  Held annually from mid-February to early March in numerous national parks across the UK, the Dark Skies Festival aims to promote appreciation of Britain's night skies and nocturnal wildlife.

NATIONAL PARKS

The Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors in the north of England play a special role in the festival.  These spectacular nature landscapes, where dry-stone walls snake through landscapes peppered with field barns, are perfect for hiking all year round.

Porpular routes include the Dales Way, Pennine Way, Coast-to-Coast Walk, Cleveland Way  and Rosedale Railway Walk.

The Yorkshire Dales have inspired many Yorkshire-born poets and artists, including Ted Hughes and David Hockney, who still enjoys outdoor painting in various locations around Yorkshire.

The North York Moors, a European Special Protection Area for merlin and plover bird species. are popular among birdwatchers and conservationists.

In late August through September the North York Moors take on the purple hue of the heather, which covers around 44,000 hectares of the national park.  Wintertime brings snow to the upland areas.  The Dark Skies Festival marks the end to the bitter weather, offering an opportunity to experience the Yorkshire landscape in the crisp air of early spring.

DARK SKY RESERVES

In 2020, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales were declared International Dark Sky Reserves, a title given to areas with low levels of light pollution and ideal conditions for stargazing. 

WILDLIFE WATCH

The Dark Skies Festival offers an opportunity to observe the park's nightlife.  The Grimwith Walk is recommended, a 4-5 mile walk around Grimwith Reservoir, as the best way to spot nocturnal animals.  The walk, taking in impressive views of the moors and the lower Yorkshire Dales, begins in the evening and participants experience the fall of night together.  Local wildlife to look out for include the ringed plover, a common bird species in Grimwith, as well as nocturnal birds such as barn owls.

CELESTIAL BODIES

The night sky, with its vast expanse of twinkling stars and other celestial objects, has captivated humanity since the dawn of time.  Amongst the most stunning dark skies' wonders are constellations, which are groups of visible stars positioned in such a way that they form a pattern recognisable to the human imagination.  Astronomers have formally defind eighty-eight constellations, each representing animals, objects or mythological creatures.

DARK SKY RESERVES

Dark sky reserves are places where darkness is conserved for scientific, educational and cultural purposes, and of course, for the enjoyment of the general public.  This has increased awareness of the benefits of protecting the 3,615 sq km are from light pollution.  Many local businesses now participate in the festival and have obtained "dark sky friendly business status", meaning that they offer binoculars, literature on the dark skies, warm blankets and other essentials for a night under the stars.

VOCABULARY

dimmer: más tenue  /  glow: resplandor  /  dales: valles  /  moors: páramos  /  dry-stone: muro sin cemento  /  to snake: serpentear  /  peppered: salpicado  /  field barns: graneros  /  hiking: excursiones, caminatas  /  merlin: halcón pequeño  /  plover: chorlito  /  hue: tonalidad  /  heather: brezo  /  crisp: fresco  /  reservoir: embalse  /  to spot: divisar  /  barn owls: lechuzas comunes  /  twinkling: titilantes  /  stunning: asombrosas