www.visitnorthumberland.com/darkskies How to use your Starchart Hold the starchart up in front of you when you’re facing the appropriate direction and look at the sky! Looking North The Plough is the most easily recognised group of stars in the northern sky. It is always above the horizon, it looks a bit like a saucepan, and the two stars furthest from the ‘handle’ end point towards the North Star, so you can always find north. On the other side of Polaris is the W-shape of Cassiopeia. The stars in the northern sky are the same all year round, so you will always be able to find them on a clear night. THE PLOUGH POLARIS North Star CASSIOPEIA Milky Way THE PLOUGH CASSIOPEIA POLARIS North Star Milky Way POLARIS North Star THE PLOUGH CASSIOPEIA Milky Way THE PLOUGH POLARIS North Star CASSIOPEIA Milky Way N N N N SPRING 8pm SUMMER 10pm Autumn 8pm Winter 8pm NORTH International Dark Sky Park An easy guide to help you navigate your way around the night sky in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park Stargazing Guide
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Stargazing Dark Guide Park - Kielder Water · Match funded by Northumberland County Council, Northumberland National Park Authority, Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust,
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www.visitnorthumberland.com/darkskies
How to use your StarchartHold the starchart up in front of you when you’re facing the appropriate direction and look at the sky!
Looking NorthThe Plough is the most easily recognised group of stars in the northern sky. It is always above the horizon, it looks a bit like a saucepan, and the two stars furthest from the ‘handle’ end point towards the North Star, so you can always find north.
On the other side of Polaris is the W-shape of Cassiopeia. The stars in the northern sky are the same all year round, so you will always be able to find them on a clear night.
THE PLOUGH
POLARISNorth Star
CASSIOPEIA
Milk
y W
ay
THE PLOUGH
CASSIOPEIA
POLARISNorth Star
Milky Way
POLARISNorth Star
THE PLOUGH
CASSIOPEIA
Milky W
ay
THE PLOUGH
POLARISNorth Star
CASSIOPEIA Milky Way
N
N
N
N
SPRING8pm
SUMMER10pm
Autumn8pm
Winter8pm
NORTH
InternationalDark Sky
ParkAn easy guide to help you navigate your way around the night sky in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park
StargazingGuide
Where can you go to see the stars?You can find information on dark skies in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park at:www.visitnorthumberland.com/darkskies
Match funded by Northumberland County Council, Northumberland National Park Authority, Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust, Forestry Commission England, Northumbrian Water, Kielder Observatory, North Pennines AONB Partnership, Durham County Council and Newcastle University together with support from Northumberland Tourism.
This project is supported by The Rural Development Programme for England, for which DEFRA is the Managing Authority, part financed by The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe Investing in rural areas.
Looking SouthThese stars change throughout the year, but you should see variously, Orion the hunter, Gemini (two stick-figures), Sirius, the Pleiades or Seven Sisters, the Summer Triangle, Cygnus the swan (and if you’re very lucky, our galaxy, the Milky Way down which it flies), the square of Pegasus, and if you follow the curve of the handle of the Plough, Arcturus.
LEO
GEMINI
REGULUS
CAPELLA
star cluster
PLEIADES
ORIONORION’S BELT
SIRIUSthe dog star
Milk
y W
ay
ARCTURUS
VEGA
CYGNUS
DENEB
ALTAIRTHE SUMMER TRIANGLE
Milky W
ay
CYGNUS
DENEB
VEGA
ALTAIRTHE SUMMER TRIANGLE
PEGASUS
Milky Way
CAPELLA
BETELGEUSE
PEGASUS
PLEIADES star cluster
RIGELORION
ORION’S BELT
Milk
y W
ay
S
S
S
S
SPRING8pm
SUMMER10pm
Autumn8pm
Winter8pm
SOUTH
Based on an original design by Forestry Commission Scotland, updated by Media Services, Royal Observatory, Edinburgh