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Galloway Dark Skies
 The Lodgings Bed and Breakfast is situated in the centre of St John’s Town of Dalry adjacent to the Galloway Forest Park and ideal for accessing the park for stargazing.
Due to its remoteness, the Galloway Forest Park
has been awarded the status of being one of only three "Dark Sky Parks"
in the western world, along with the Natural Bridges National Monument
in Utah and Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania. The fourth has
been proposed already in Geauga Park District in Ohio. But this means
that the largest forest park in Scotland has become the only Dark Sky
Park in Europe, causing for double celebration amongst astronomers, as
2009 also marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo's astronomical
discovery of the telescope.
Once these three hundred square
miles of rugged wilderness are plunged into darkness, under an
inky-blue sky, they become the darkest in all of Europe. It is here
where enthusiasts come to stand in awe, wonder and amazement at the
vast universe which is revealed above them. Onlookers are given the
rare chance to witness shooting stars; the Andromeda galaxy, the aurora
borealis and stellar nurseries, where new suns of distant planets are
born.
The dark skies of the Galloway National Park allow man
to be able to view the vast expanse of universe, from Earth. Being able
to view the twinkling star-studded sky is a uniquely human pleasure,
that if we are not careful, may slip from our grasp in most parts of
the world due to increasing light pollution. The International Dark Sky
Association (IDA) has set up this award in high hopes to reduce light
pollution, as unneccessary amounts are leaking and hiding the raw
beauty of the night sky and it is this that is having harming effects
on both wildlife and humans.
The Galloway Forest Park
is also home to the Wigtownshire Astrological Society who have recently
built an observatory on the edge of the forest park at Glenamour. More
details about this and the work of the society can be found at: www.wigtownshire-astro.org.uk
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