Hi John

Back in February, we asked you to help us map the nation’s view of the night sky.

An incredible 7,845 counts were submitted - our biggest year ever!

We were blown away by the number of people that took part despite the limitations of lockdown.

We’ve done the number crunching, and the results show a drop in severe light pollution compared to 2020 – with lockdown likely to be the explanation.

Discover what we found on our interactive map, and check out how your area compares.

Here’s what the results show:

• 51% of participants counted ten stars or fewer - indicating severe light pollution - compared with 61% in 2020.

• 5% of participants counted more than 30 stars, indicating truly dark skies. This is our highest figure since 2013.

• The variation in light pollution across the country is still huge.

But it’s not just about the numbers – it was so heartening to see so many thousands of people staring up at the night sky and connecting to the beauty that we can find there.

And this was a truly nationwide count – we had hundreds of counts submitted from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Looking up at a starry night sky is a magical sight and one that we believe everyone should be able to experience, wherever they live.

Why not check out our map to find the darkest spot near you?

Thank you so much again for taking part.

Star Count is vital to demonstrate the need for action so all of us can have a chance to enjoy the beauty and magic of a starry sky – in our towns and cities as well as in the countryside.

We hope your stargazing journey doesn’t stop here.

Emma

Emma Marrington
Dark skies campaigner