Are you ready to help make a map of light pollution in the UK in 2023? Join thousands of others around the UK from Friday 17th February to Friday 24th February and take a few minutes to count the stars you can see in the constellation of Orion.
Just register https://bathastronomers.org.uk/starcount2023 with CPRE to get more information now and to be able to submit your location and count later.
1) Find a good spot to do your Star Count which is south-facing – this could be your garden if you have one, a local green space or even balcony.
2) If you’re doing your Star Count from home, turn off all the lights in your home so it’s as dark as possible and go outside.
3) Look south in the night sky (the way satellite dishes face) and find the constellation of Orion. Look out for Orion’s belt
4) Let your eyes adjust to the dark – the longer you wait, the better (we recommend up to 20 minutes) Count the number of stars you can see within the rectangle formed by the four corner stars. You count the ‘belt’, but not the corner stars.
5) Head to CPRE’s website to submit your count and help them map the nation’s view of the night sky.
We’ve a few guides and worksheets that may be useful for your count: