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Where to view the wonders of thenight sky in Galloway Forest Park

beyond your horizons

GallowayForest Parkhome to the UK’s onlyDark Sky Park

If you need this leaflet in an alternativeformat, for example, large print oranother language, please contact:The Diversity TeamTel: 0131 314 6575E-mail: diversity@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

ContactForestry Commission Scotland,Galloway Forest District, Creebridge,Newton Stewart DG8 6AJ

Tel: 01671 402420E-mail: galloway@forestry.gsi.gov.ukwww.forestry.gov.uk/darkskygallowayPublic enquiry line 0845 FORESTS (367 3787)

Welcome to the Uk’sfirst Dark Sky Park.You have entered an areaof wonder & exploration.All around you are plantsand animals that rely onthe daytime sun. But atnight, we enjoy a perfectlydark sky, studded withthousands of stars andthe Milky Way stretchingoverhead from horizonto horizon.

Here you can gaze andwonder at the magic of thenight sky, just as yourancestors have done forthousands of years.

Grab a pair of binoculars,some warm clothing andhead out. You will discoverwonders that few peopleget a chance to see thesedays. Light pollution inmodern towns and citieshas drowned out all but thebrightest stars. But not herein the Dark Sky Park - adarkness that needs to beprotected.

Galloway Forest Park Beyond your horizons

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For information on public transport contact: Traveline Scotland,0870 200233 or www.travelinescotland.com© Crown Copyright 2010

Other Dark Sky Park’s around the world: Natural Bridges National Monument (Utah), Cherry Springs State Park (Pennsylvania), Geuga Park Districts Observatory Park (Ohio), Zselic Landscape Protection Area (Hungary)

Galloway Red Deer range

Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre

Glentrool Visitor Centre

Bruce’s stone

Caldons woodlands

Kirroughtree Visitor Centre

Loch Braden

Loch Doon south end

Talnotry

Raiders roadwest end

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What is a Dark Sky Park?A Dark Sky Park is a place with exceptionally dark night skies, a place where people have committed tokeeping those skies dark, by controlling light pollution.

In November 2009, the International Dark-sky Association designated Galloway Forest Park as only the fourthDark Sky Park in the world and the first in the uk.

But that's not all. The Galloway Park is REALLY dark - a Gold Tier Dark Skies park. Very few people live in the300 square miles of forest and hills in the park so nights really are black - apart from the stars!Forestry Commission Scotland and the people of the parkare committed to keeping it that way.

Light PollutionThe glow you often see spilling outinto the night sky from our townsand cities makes it much harder tosee the stars. This is caused by toomuch and poorly designed lightingin our urban areas. It can also:

• waste vast amounts of money• disturb wildlife• disturb people & their sleep• cause medicalhealth problems

Switch off orpoint down!

Enjoy Scotland’s outdoors responsibly• take responsibility for your own actions• respect the interests of other people• care for the environment.

Fàilte don chiad Phàircnam Speuran Dorchaann am BreatainnTha sibh air thighinn a-steacha shaoghal mhiorbhail isrannsachaidh. Mun cuairtoirbh tha lusan isainmhidhean agus iad uilean urra ris a' ghrèin. Air anoidhche, ge-tà, gheibhear anseo speuran dubha dorcha, ismìlltean de reultan ri fhaicinn.Faodar gabhail sealladh agusiongantas air beartas nah-oidhche; mar a rinneadhbho sheann leis nasinnsearan againn.

'S e Pàirc nam SpeuranDorcha, raon far am faighearfìor speuran dubha dorcha,agus na daoine ag amasair na speuran seo a chumaildorcha; le smachd ga cumailair truilleadh sholas.Le cho beag de dhaoinea' fantainn sa phàircseo, isoidhcheannandubha dorchadhà-rìribh agheibhearinnte - ach solasnan reultana-mhàin!

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved Forestry Commission. Licence No 100025498 2010.

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You could be one of only a few people in theUnited Kingdom to see the Milky Way our veryown Galaxy, which shows up in our sky aswispy cloud running across the sky. You seeit as cloud due to the sheer number of starsin it! Look even closer and you mighteven see Andromeda our nearest galaxy.

The easiest objects to see are our ownstars and with the help of these starcharts you should be able to spot a few!

You will need...� Warm clothing

� Binoculars

� Torch (preferablywith a red filter)

� Hat & gloves

� Stout shoes/ boots

So just what can you seewhen you visit the park?

Looking North Looking South

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What to look out for...Looking up at the stars in the night sky,you can see that some of them make uppatterns and shapes, called constellations.Every culture around the world has joinedthe dots in the night sky and createdlegends behind these.

The star maps here show some of themore obvious constellations visible fromGalloway Forest Dark Sky Park throughoutthe year.

How many stars can you name? Can youfind Orion the Hunter? Cygnus the Swan?The Plough? Some constellations are onlyvisible at certain times of the year.

Can you find north?Use the two stars at the end of the Plough,

known as the pointer stars, to tracea line to the faint North Star,

the Pole Star or Polaris.If you stand facing

this star you willbe pointing

North.

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Open star cluster known as the wizardnebula