Dark Skies -

Star Gazing Whilst Glamping in Dorset

Dark skies are one of the many qualities of Dorset Forest Garden and contribute to the sense of tranquillity and remoteness. On a clear night the low levels of light pollution make Dorset one of the best places in the country for stargazing. We are particularly fortunate being in a vast closed valley with not a hamlet in sight.

Making the Most of the Dark Skies

If you have a telescope you may wish to bring it with you. Don’t worry if you haven’t, as we have high quality Opticron binoculars which are excellent for stargazing available to borrow (please don’t take them off the farm). If you are new to astronomy binoculars can be better than a telescope.

You need to allow time for your eyes to get used to the dark skies and start to see the finer details. Any light source can affect this process. A red light torch will help you to see but not affect your vision.

Planets, Constellations & Asterisms

There are more and more excellent phone apps available to help you identify the stars in the night sky. We particularly recommend downloading the free app SkyView which is an excellent tool. Simply point your device at the sky and it gives you details on what you are looking at. Beyond all the stars and planets we often have sightings of shooting stars, especially by guests looking up from a hot tub late in the evening. There is no need for any binoculars for this! Do share your discoveries with us through our visitor book or social media. On social media please link us in we do love to know what you have seen!