PEOPLE are being asked to take part in an annual Star Count to record how clear the view is of the night sky.
The Campaign for the Protection of Rural England is working with the British Astronomical Association’s Commission for Dark Skies to map light pollution levels across the country.
In the biggest citizen science project of its kind, people are being asked to count the number of stars they see in the Orion constellation to help map the best and worst places in the UK to enjoy a star-filled night sky.
The results will be compared with 2021’s findings, gathered during lockdown, which revealed a notable drop in the number of people experiencing severe light pollution given urban areas were much quieter and fewer large buildings were in use.
A clear view of a star-filled night sky has a hugely beneficial effect on our mental health and, like access to other forms of nature, helps reduce stress and increase a sense of peace and wellbeing. Research has even shown that regularly spending time looking at the stars can lower blood pressure and reduce depression. Yet, the night sky, which is a hugely significant part of our natural environment, has no legal protection.
Tom Fyans, deputy chief executive of CPRE, the countryside charity, said: “The night sky is one half of our experience of nature; but we don’t often think of it like that.
“In and of itself, it helps balance our mental health and boost our emotional wellbeing. Recollect that experience of a starry sky and you instinctively know it soothed you.”
In 2021, over 7,000 people took part in CPRE’s Star Count. The proportion of people reporting ‘severe light pollution’, defined as ten stars or fewer being visible to the naked eye in the Orion constellation, had declined from 61 per cent to 51 per cent.
The proportion of ‘truly dark skies’, defined as over 30 stars being visible within the Orion constellation, had increased from three per cent to five per cent.
This was likely due to the count taking place during lockdown, with reduced levels of artificial light leading to a clearer view of the night sky.
Bob Mizon, of the British Astronomical Association’s Commission for Dark Skies, said: “The night sky is a great antidote to the stresses of modern life; you go out, look up and suddenly everything is calm.
“The stars made every atom in our bodies; they are our chemical parents. They’re intimately connected to us and even in these light polluted days people have a real desire to see the stars.”
The event runs from now until March 6 so that people have an opportunity to find a clear night sky without cloud cover.
For more on the CPRE visit: www.cpre.org.uk
