The North York Moors became an International Dark Sky Reserve in December 2020. Away from the towns, the sky here is dark enough to see the Milky Way with the naked eye, along with meteor showers, the Andromeda galaxy and, on the right night, the northern lights.
Best spots
Sutton Bank National Park Centre, which has a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site and regular events
Dalby Forest, with its observatory and stargazing evenings run by local astronomy societies
Danby Lodge National Park Centre
Any moor-top lay-by on the Blakey Ridge road, the Rosedale road or the A169 at Saltergate
When
Winter gives the longest nights and clearest air; the Dark Skies Festival runs for 17 days in February. Aim for a night with no moon. Give your eyes twenty minutes to adjust and use a red torch.
What you can see
The Milky Way arches overhead in late summer and autumn evenings. The Perseid meteor shower peaks around 12 August, the Geminids around 14 December. The aurora appears a few times a year; sign up to an aurora alert service and head for a north-facing viewpoint such as Roseberry Topping or the coast at Ravenscar.
Kit
Warm clothes, a flask, a reclining chair or mat, and binoculars, which show more than you would expect. A star chart app in night mode helps with names.
Stargazing events and guides
The National Park runs two festivals a year: the Dark Skies Festival for 17 days in February and the Dark Skies Fringe Festival over the October half term.
Astro Dog runs telescope evenings at Dalby Forest and Danby Lodge from September through the winter, with a star dome show if it is cloudy. Booking is essential.
The Dark Skies Station observatory at Danby Lodge and the Nature & Star Hub at Sutton Bank host regular stargazing nights.
Scarborough & Ryedale Astronomical Society holds free public stargazing in Dalby Forest on the first Friday of most months from October to March, and usually runs Starfest, a star camp in Dalby Forest in late summer, though it was cancelled in 2026.
Whitby Astronomical Society holds star parties on Whitby's West Cliff in summer and at the Bruce Observatory at Whitby School the rest of the year.
For guided experiences, photographers and outdoor instructors run astro-photography weekends, mindful night walks and night navigation courses. The National Park's Dark Skies page lists current providers, and its Dark Skies Friendly accommodation has kit and advice for stargazing from your door.
Upcoming dates are on our What's on page under Dark skies.
