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The Cheshire
Sandstone Ridge

Star Count finishes on 6 March

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orionnightskyconstellation

The Cheshire Sandstone Ridge is no stranger to dark skies, particularly in the southern areas of the Ridge. Our area lies in National Character Area (NCA) 62 and in 2018 this area was ranked as the 76th 'darkest NCA' out of the 159 within England.

CPRE (The Countryside Charity) is asking for your help to measure our dark skies between 26 February – 6 March (hoping that the storms of the last few days have all blown through)!

Dark and starry skies are a special part of our countryside.

Regrettably, buildings, street lighting and outdoor events, for example, emit light and this can affect our view of truly dark skies. We want to make sure that we can all enjoy starlit nights; so let's get star counting!

Top Tips on how to take part in the Star Count

*Try to pick a clear night for your count, with no haze or clouds, then wait until after 7pm so the sky is really dark
*Looking south into the night sky, find the Orion constellation, with its four corners and 'three-star belt'.
*Let your eyes adjust to the darkness for as long as possible (at least 20 minutes), then count the stars that you can see within the four corners of Orion (don't panic, no telescopes required – the CPRE Website has lots of basic help in finding Orion CLICK HERE)
*Make a note of the number of stars seen with the naked eye and submit your count when the results page opens that week.
*Share your experiences (and any photos) with others on social media using #StarCount
*And don't forget to check back to see the national results and how our area compares to the rest of the country

For useful information and to sign up CLICK HERE.

Sandstone Ridge Trust

Sandstone Ridge Trust

Registered Company No. 7673603
Registered Charity No. 1144470
info@sandstoneridge.org.uk

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