Experience the wonder of blackest starlit skies

Apr 5 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal

A SCIENTIFIC window to the universe will open in Northumberland – under the darkest night skies in England – later this month.

Work on the £450,000 Kielder Observatory has taken about seven months to complete, and will open to the public with a series of events.

The flagship project is designed to provide a state-of-the-art facility for astronomers and scientific researchers to analyse the night sky, as well as being an educational resource.

Elisabeth Rowark, director of Kielder Partnership, said: “The Kielder Observatory aims to become a symbolic gateway to enable people to access the beautiful expanse of stars that illuminate the skies over Kielder Water and Forest Park.

“The facility is a great way of using one of the region’s many assets and allows visitors, tourists, astronomers and students to get up close and personal with the universe.

“This is a unique quality which adds to the attraction of the park.

“The observatory will also enable people to get to know a new dimension of the park, reawakening their enjoyment of the natural world around them.”

Kielder has the darkest night skies in England due to minimal light pollution, making the observatory’s Black Fell hilltop location a prime site for the stargazing facility.

After the launch the observatory will be handed over to the newly- founded Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society and will be operated by a group of highly- trained amateur astronomers.

The launch programme for the observatory is part of the NewcastleGateshead Initiative’s programme of festivals and events in 2008.

Stella Hall, creative director at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “We hope that the special opening weekend of events will attract people of all ages from across the region and beyond to explore the observatory and enjoy an introduction to the magic of astronomy.

“It’s a unique opportunity for all the family to have a go at star gazing in this state-of-the-art facility.

“The family open days provide the perfect reason for visitors to travel to Kielder and having enjoyed this star attraction, we’re sure they’ll be tempted to return time and again to sample all that this beautiful area has to offer.”

Funding for the project came from the Northumberland Strategic Partnership via Single Programme funds from One NorthEast Tourism, European Regional Development Fund, the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, Forestry Commission, Northern Rock Foundation and the Kielder Partnership with support from the Royal Institute of British Architects and Arts Council England.

Janice Rose, acting executive director at Northumberland Strategic Partnership, said: “We are excited to support the development of the observatory, which combines state-of-the-art form and function to provide a unique visitor experience and assist astronomer enthusiasts to probe the universe in one of England’s few remaining truly dark skies.”

The observatory opens to the public over the weekend of April 26 and 27, with a night observation on Friday, April 25.

Opening events

THE details for the opening weekend events for those wishing to take part:

First Night Watch – Friday April 25, and Saturday April 26, from 8pm to midnight both nights; £5 adults, £3, children.

Family Open Days – April 26 and 27, run from 10am to 5pm. Free buses will leave regularly from Kielder Castle Visitors’ Centre taking people to the observatory.

For more information visit www.kielder-observatory.org.

The first 400 people to attend the weekend activities will all receive a limited addition Star Poem badge designed by artist Alec Finlay.