Best Sky in Kent is Camber at 5.52 LV mag

[Simon E]

I've found this web-site today which can show you roughly what you could see in the night sky anywhere in the UK. http://www.need-less.org.uk/ . Just scroll down halfway till you come across a light polution map of the UK with a star map next to it. Just zoom into the area you live in and the towns and cities names will appear. Just click on your area and the star chart will show you roughly how much/little light polution there is and how much of the night sky you can see. Obviously you can check out nearby dark sky sites aswell.

si

[MarkS]

Hmm ....

Because it looked good on the light pollution map, I once went down to Camber on an imaging reconnaisance mission, only to find that an incredible amount of light is thrown out from the nearby caravan park by what I can only describe as floodlighting.  Maybe they switch it off in the Winter?

The MOD training range is very dark but I didn't fancy setting up a high powered telescope with photographic equipment next to their boundary fence - especially since nowadays they can do you a section 44 just for taking photographs of famous London tourist landmarks.

I settled for the nearby Dungeness/Lydd area instead.

[Simon E]

Was that area any good?

si

[Mike]

The Dungeness/Lydd area is very dark, but also very flat and therefore cold. It is also close to the coast if you want to fish during the day and there is the nearby narrow gauge railway too.

If anyone knows of a good sheltered camp site with decent facilities and without any bright lights on site then it would undoubtedly become a permanent DSC location in my opinion.

[MarkS]

Dungeness/Lydd/Romney is about as good as you can get without heading further afield to Isle of Wight/ Norfolk/ Devon/ Wales.

See also:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/webdisk/SELightPollution2.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/webdisk/EnglandLightPollution.jpg

Mark

[Simon E]

I know of a road that runs out from Lydd and runs parallel to the Waterski centre/Karting track. This road becomes a track, but can still be driven and ends up near the sea about 1/4 mile from the power station. I use to do all night fishing here and it would be an ideal place to setup a scope and was pretty dark, I may go have a look and see what it is like again. It is the end of Dengemarsh Road.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Dungeness,+Romney+Marsh,+Kent+TN29,+United+Kingdom&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=12.218001,27.817383&ie=UTF8&cd=2&geocode=FZ33CAMdoLoOAA&split=0&hq=&hnear=Dungeness,+Romney+Marsh,+Kent,+United+Kingdom&ll=50.922894,0.924311&spn=0.025429,0.054331&z=14

There is grass at the end, just before the last fork in the road near the sea

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Dungeness,+Romney+Marsh,+Kent+TN29,+United+Kingdom&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=12.218001,27.817383&ie=UTF8&cd=2&geocode=FZ33CAMdoLoOAA&split=0&hq=&hnear=Dungeness,+Romney+Marsh,+Kent,+United+Kingdom&ll=50.922894,0.924311&spn=0.025429,0.054331&z=14

si

[Mike]

Yes but can you camp there?

[Mac]

i thought that the power station was lit up like a huge beacon....

Mac.

[MarkS]

There is grass at the end, just before the last fork in the road near the sea

Interesting.  
It looks a bit close to the power station but it could be OK if not looking East.  Views to the South and SW could be very dark indeed if the air is dry.

BUT - I think the road is now closed:
http://www.sea-fishing.org/ftopic-19411-days0-orderasc-0.html

I'm still looking for an accessible place on the south coast with dark views South.  You can't drive to the beach at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.  Winchelsea beach has nowhere to set up (it's big pebbles in any case and it's too close to the floodlights of the nearby caravan park).

Mark

Mark

[mickw]

Pevensey Bay - East of Eastbourne - Campsite on the coast LV 5.1
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=1549

A selection of car parks from Beachy Head to Birling Gap  LV 5.22
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.742939,0.20124895&z=17&t=h&hl=en-GB

[MarkS]

A selection of car parks from Beachy Head to Birling Gap  LV 5.22

That looks like a distinct possibility - I'll go and have a look sometime.

Mark

[Mac]

A selection of car parks from Beachy Head to Birling Gap  LV 5.22

That looks like a distinct possibility - I'll go and have a look sometime.

hmmmmmm,

ello ello ello

loads of blokes, trawling the local car parks, looking for stars, ehhh,

Sounds more like a more popular pastime involving dogs....

[mickw]

Not just 

Just north of Birling gap is..........................
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.746234,0.20512683&z=17&t=h&hl=en-GB
http://www.sheepcentre.co.uk/

  (Don't tell Tony)