Night Sky Simulator...

[RobertM]

Came across this earlier today and thought it might give an idea where the best dark skies are to be found.  Coverage is across the whole of the UK giving a Sky Rating (Bortle scale) and is zoomable.  It does seem to suggest that the best dark sky anywhere near us is near Dungeness (Lydd) but you will have to travel as far as Kelling Heath or the West Country to see much darker skies.

http://www.need-less.org.uk/night%20sky%20simulator.html

[Daniel]

Sixpenny Handley (near salisbury) area looks incredibly dark, there's a great camp site there http://www.churchfarmcandcpark.co.uk/  anyone up for booking the place out one weekend for a mini DSC?

Daniel
:O)

[MarkS]

Robert,

That's a very interesting simulator.  It also confirms something I've noticed on recent trips driving through France at night - the glow of big towns such as Rouen, Le Mans, Tours and Poitiers is quite noticeable to the naked eye, from approx 35 miles away.

Up to now I've used Google Earth with the light pollution overlays -http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp/global_composites_v2.html - I use F152002 and F152003 - certainly in 2003 Lydd/Dungeness was the darkest area near us.

Mark

[Mike]

Top of Norfolk looks excellent.

[RobertM]

That's exactly where Kelling Heath is Mike.