A village in North Yorkshire is dimming its lights to become the country’s first ‘Dark Skies’ residential area, allowing stargazers to better see the Milky Way.
The village of Hawnby in the North York Moors is currently undergoing an overhaul of all its outdoor lighting and switching to “dark sky friendly” street lighting for a better view of the night sky.
Over 100 lights on 30 properties will be changed during the project, while the local pub and village hall will also receive new lights.
North York Moors National Park says this means it is the first English village to have all street lamps and lights on properties converted, as well as all lights in public areas.
In the nearby Yorkshire Dales National Park, money is also going to three companies to make the switch, including a hotel and the Station Inn, near the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct, which funding to install 19 new directional LED lights.
Hannah Kay, Dark Skies project manager for the Yorkshire Dales National Park, said there were many benefits to switching to the new lights, such as helping wildlife that needs real darkness, as well as the well-being of residents.
Claire Hobbs, the landlord of the Station Inn pub, said the switch had led to an increase in visitors during the low season, and said stargazing evenings are now held regularly throughout the week.
The North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales have recently become important spots for stargazerswith both areas securing Dark Sky status in 2020. This status means that these areas offer “unique natural darkness” and “exceptional views of starry nights”.
To secure this status, territories must go through a rigorous application process, while only 21 other territories around the world have obtained this status. The two national parks also host an annual Dark Skies Festival.
Mike Hawtin, the North York Moors National Park’s Dark Skies Officer, said: “There are a few other places in Wales and Scotland that have converted street lighting into dark sky friendly towns or villages, but we think Hawnby will be the first village to go even further by converting both the building’s street lighting and exterior lighting when the project is completed later this year.
“We are definitely not against light as it is needed for many different reasons, whether it is just to open your front door or to operate machines at night.
“The steps required to avoid light pollution can be as simple as changing the angle of a floodlight to ensure no rays are wasted by casting a harsh glare into an otherwise dark valley.”