AnnualPublicinterestinNorthumberland’sdarkskiesshowsnosignofslowingdown.Thisyear,wehaveheardexcitingnewplansbyKielderObservatoryAstronomicalSocietytodeveloptheirfacility,andseentheopeningoftheSillNationalLandscapeDiscoveryCentreonHadrian’sWall,whichwillalsohostmanymorestargazingandbusinesstrainingeventsinfuture.NorthumberlandCountyCouncilhavecontinuedwiththeirreplacementstreetlightingscheme,andatamorelocallevel,plansareafoottoengagewithlandownersandresidentsintheDarkSkyParktopromotebestpracticeinthedesignandinstallationofdark-skyfriendlyoutsidelighting.
1.ENJOYTHEDARKNESS
InthedarkabouttheSillNationalLandscapeDiscoveryCentre
Aftermanyyearsofplanning,consultationandconstruction,theSillNationalLandscapeDiscoveryCentreopenedtothepublicon29July2017.
Sinceitopened,TheSillhaswelcomedmorethan30,000visitorsthroughitsdoors.BuiltbytheNationalParkAuthority,thisiconicbuilding,islocatedrightontheboundaryofHadrian’sWallWorldHeritageSite,andhostsapermanentexhibitionthatcelebratesournaturalandculturallandscapes(includingasectionaboutourdarkskies),acafe,alearningcentre,aruralbusinesshub,ashop,awalk-ongrassroofthatleadstoaviewingplatform(day&night),aswellasan86-bedyouthhostel,runbytheYouthHostelAssociation(England&Wales).FundedgenerouslybytheHeritageLotteryFund,itaimstowelcome,accommodateandinspirethenextgenerationofvisitorstobecomeawareofandcareourheritage,includingtheneedtoconserveourbeautifuldarkskies.Thiswinter,itwillhostourstargazingprogrammeincludingastro-photographyworkshopsandtourismbusinesstrainingseminars.Lookoutforoureventsat:www.thesill.org.uk
Annual Report 2017
(c)WilCheung
KielderObservatoryAstronomicalSocietyReport
KielderObservatoryAstronomicalSocietyisverypleasedtoannouncethatoverthepastyearithasseen96.8%occupancy;aclearindicationofthepopularityofthefacility,andcontinuingatrendthatisincreasingyear-on-year.Whatisperhapsmoresignificantandsatisfyingthough,arethemanypositivetripadvisorreviewsreceivedbytheObservatoryanditsteamofdedicatedstaffandvolunteers,whichpaintsahealthypictureforthefuture.Asnapshotofkeysuccesses,KOAS:• nowemploys9full-timestaff• deliversmorethan650eventseveryyear• hasraised£250,000tobuildanewastro
imaging/researchfacility(currentlyunderconstruction)
• isdevelopingascienceinitiativewithlocaleducatorstoassistintheteachingofastronomy
• hasthemostadvancedsuiteofinstrumentsandobservatoryoutsideofacademiaintheUK
• welcomedmorethan20,000visitorslastyear• has5astrophysicistsonitsacademicstaffFormoreinformationabouteventsattheKielderObservatory,goto:https://www.kielderobservatory.org
MakingastarappearanceThroughouttheyear,wehavetakenourLunt80mmsolarscopetoanumberoflocaleventsandfestivals,mainlytoshowvisitorssomethingtrulymemorable,butalsotoengagethemabouttheDarkSkyPark,ontheirdoorstep.
ThesehaverangedfromaFarmersMarketinthecentreofHexhamonaSaturdaymorning,toaRomanCavalryre-enactmentintheCityofCarlisle,whichliestothewestoftheDarkSkyParkboundary,seebelow.
ManyattendinganumberofsportingeventsintheDarkSkyParkhavealsoseenthebeautyofthenightskiesabovethem.ThisSeptember,wepackeda10”dobintothebackofthevan,andcampedoutwith400MTBriderstakingpartintheNaughtyNorthumbrianMTBEnduroevent.Allwholookedthroughthetelescopewerecaptivatedbytheclarityofthedarkskiesabove,manyhavingtravelledfromlight-pollutedcitiestoattendtheevent,nowpromisingtoreturn.
IncreasingstarappealNorthumberlandTourismLtd,oneofthekeymembersoftheNorthumberlandInternationalDarkSkySteeringGrouphascontinuedtopromoteNorthumberland’s“darkside”initsautumn/wintermarketingcampaignfor2016/17.Thefindingsfromtheevaluationresearchhighlightedsomeinterestingresults,includingaKloutscoreof72%,showingahighlevelofengagementwithouraudiencesonthethemeofdarkskiesandstargazing.78%ofrespondentstothesurveywhohadvisitedNorthumberlandcamebetweenSeptemberandMarchandtheaveragetotalspendpervisitwas£730,showingthatdarkskiestourismiscontributingtothelocaleconomyandhelpingtoreduceseasonality.
Tourismbusinessescontinuetoseethelight!TheDark-SkyfriendlyschemeinitiatedbyNorthumberlandTourismLtdisstillbeingpromotedtoruralaccommodationproviders.AsnapshotsurveyundertakenbytheNationalParkAuthorityofaccreditedbusinesseshashighlightedaneedformorestargazingeventstobehostedinthenorthandeastoftheDarkSkyPark,andadditionalbusinesstrainingworkshops.Withthatinmind,theAuthoritywillbeorganisingtwomore‘StarTipsforProfit’workshopswithastronomer,RichardDarnonthe18thNovemberand12thFebruary2018.Moredetailswillbepostedonourwebsite:https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on
2)KEEPTHEDARKNESS
PlannersshineinthedarkTheNationalParkAuthorityplanningteamhascontinueditsvigilanceondevelopmentintheNationalPark,usingtheopportunitywhenofferingpre-applicationadvicetodevelopers,tobeawareoftheDarkSkyParkconditionsandadvisingthemontheirneedforanduseofappropriateoutsidelightingintheirproposals.AnexamplebeingtheSillNationalLandscapeDiscoveryCentre,asignificantdevelopment,whichfollowingplanningguidance,onlyrequiredafewfully-shieldeddown-litbollardstolightthefootpathstothefrontofthebuilding.Nootherexternallightingwasnecessary.Otherdevelopmentreceivingadviceincludedanewmicro-brewery,whereonlyfully-shieldedlightingwasallowed,andalodgedevelopmentinBellingham,wherecar-parklightingwasreducedinheightandalowerlumenoutputagreedupon.AdvicewasalsogiventodevelopersofnewholidaylodgesinKieldertoensurethattheiroutsidelightswerecompliant.
InvitingotherstothedarksideTheLocalPlanformsthebasisfordeterminingplanningapplicationswithintheNationalPark.TheAuthorityiscurrentlyreviewingtheexistingLocalPlanandisrunningsixcommunityconsultationeventsinOctober.AswellaspromotingourGoodPracticeGuideForOutsideLightinginNorthumberlandInternationalDarkSkyParktothoseattending,wewillalsobedisplayingdifferentlightingfixturestopromotebestpractice.
EuropeanDarkSkiesConferenceGallowayandSouthernAyrshireBiosphere,inpartnershipwithGallowayForestDarkSkyParkandwiththesupportoftheIDA,heldthefirstEuropeanDarkSkiesConferenceonthe20th–22ndSeptemberatGatehouseofFleet.Delegatesfromallovertheworldwereinvitedtohearspeakersontopicsthatrangedfromtheculturalassociationswiththedark,tothehealthimplicationsoflightpollution.DuncanWise,representingNorthumberlandInternationalDarkSkyParkgaveatalkonthesuccessofastro-
tourisminNorthumberlandsincereceivingitsdesignationin2013,andhighlightedtheneedtoeducatevisitorsabouttheeffectsoflightpollutionateveryopportunityusingsomelightsandaballoon!
StreetlightingimprovementsTheCountyCouncil’s£25millionprojecttomoderniseallthestreetlightsinthecountywithbetterdesigned(fullyshielded)LEDtechnologyisnowenteringitsfinalphase.WithintheDarkSkyPark,atotalof107lanternswillbereplacedinthevillagesofHarbottle,Rochester,Byrness,Elsdon,Kielder,Lanehead,Greenhaugh,FalstoneandStonehaugh.TheAuthorityisalsoworkingcloselywiththeMinistryofDefencetodraftnewpolicyguidelinesonminimisinglightpollutionintherevisionofthejointlandscapemanagementplanfortheOtterburnTrainingArea.
BeyondtheDarkSkyParkTheNorthPenninesAONBPartnershiphasbeenactiveoverthelastyearindarkskyconservation.Publicandeducationaleventswereheldaspartofthethree-year‘DiscoveringNorthernDarkSkies’programme–fundedbytheScience&TechnologyFacilitiesCouncil.DevelopmentofthenewNorthPenninesObservatoryhascontinuedapace–thenewfacilityintheAllenValleyswasofficiallyopenedinOctober2017andisnowthehomeofthefledglingNorthPenninesAstronomySociety.AttheendoftheyearthePartnershipdevelopedthefirstNorthPennines-wideStargazingFestival–fundedbyVisitCountyDurham.
MainContactsNorthumberlandNationalParkAuthority:DuncanWise,VisitorDevelopmentandMarketingManager,Tel:+44(0)[email protected]&ForestParkDevelopmentTrust:LynnTurner,Director,Tel:+44(0)[email protected]:AlexMacLennan,Recreation&PublicAffairsManager(NorthEast),Tel:+44(0)[email protected]:@VisitNland@NlandNP@VisitKielder@kielder_obs@NorthPennAONBFacebook:VisitNorthumberlandNorthumberlandNPVisitKielderKielderObservatoryNorthPenninesAONBWeusethesehashtagsfortheNIDSP:#NlandDarkSkyPark#Nlandstars#npenndarkskies
