Stargazing in the North York Moors

Out of a total of 21 around the world, the UK is honoured with seven International Dark Sky Reserves – an area with exceptional starry skies – across its national parks and national landscapes. Yorkshire is particularly blessed with two regions to achieve such status: the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales.

Appointed as an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2020, the expansive night skies of the North York Moors National Park reveal thousands of constellations, planets, galaxies and shooting stars at its many stargazing locations. Thanks to an almost total lack of light pollution on the heather moorland and the wide sweeping horizons, the park is a very special place for budding star-spotters to visit. 

The park authorities are fully committed to preserving these dark skies and making them accessible to visitors through organised events and an annual stargazing festival. And as the stargazing season gets going after the summer holidays, staying in the park in autumn and winter helps boost year-round tourism – at times, it’ll feel like you have the place to yourselves. 

Here Pitchup has drawn up the definitive guide to stargazing on the North York Moors, listing official Dark Skies Discovery Sites, some of our favourite 'off-grid' viewing sites and tips for successful navigation around the night skies.

What will I see when stargazing on the North York Moors?

On a clear night, you can see the billions of stars that form the Milky Way, shimmering in an arc across the heavens with the naked eye. Here’s what else to expect.

• The North Star and Sirius (the brightest star of all).


• Prominent constellations like The Plough (the ‘handle’ of which points to the North Star), the three bright stars of Orion’s Belt, and the W-shaped Cassiopeia. Sky and Telescope has updates on what you can see at any time of year. 

• At various times of year, you can see the planets Mercury (hard to spot as it’s close to the horizon), Venus (gleaming white), Mars (rust-coloured), Jupiter and Saturn (both a yellowish tan). Planets are easy to identify as they don’t ‘twinkle’ like stars do.


• Our neighbouring galaxy of Andromeda (2.5 million light years away!).

• Meteor showers: check on Time and Date for expected dates.

• The International Space Station, which orbits the earth in an easterly direction once every 90 minutes. You’ll see it as a steadily moving white dot.

• The Aurora Borealis: keep tabs on any likely appearances of the Northern lights at AuroraWatchUK.

Best star spotting locations on the North York Moors

Thanks to the lack of light pollution in the North York Moors National Park, there are many places across the moors where you can spy on the cosmos. 

Designated Dark Sky Discovery Sites

There are three Dark Sky Discovery Sites – graded as ‘Milky Way class' as you can see the galaxy with the naked eye – within the North York Moors National Park.

Dalby Forest Visitor Centre 

Sprawling over 8,500 acres (3575 hectares) of enchanting coniferous forest, Dalby Forest is a walking and cycling hub as well as a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site. The skies are so dark that you should easily spot the Milky Way. Most events – including guided tours of the night sky, intergalactic journeys in the planetarium and astrophotography workshops – held there are organised by AstroDog at Dalby Forest Courtyard, with parking at the Visitor Centre close by. Facilities include two observatories, large-aperture telescopes and all-important hot drinks for chilly evenings. 

Danby Lodge National Park Centre

Home to a bookshop, an art gallery, a café, an extensive outdoor adventure park and boardwalks leading through woodland, Danby Lodge is also a Dark Sky Discovery Site – it is so dark here that you can see the Milky Way clearly without binoculars or telescopes on clear, cloudless nights. As well as a small stargazing area and the Dark Skies Trail, you can get your kids learning about the night skies by using brass-rubbing crayons on the constellation plaques hidden around the grounds. The pay-and-display car park is card or PayByPhone only. 

Sutton Bank Nature and Star Hub

Opened in 2021 at Sutton Bank National Park Centre – gateway to spectacular views over the Vale of York from the limestone Sutton Bank escarpment – the Star Hub doubles as a wildlife viewing point by day and the North York Moors’ third Dark Sky Discovery Site by night. It has a flat viewing area for setting up telescopes, outdoor seating for would-be astronomers and a heated pavilion where presentations and stargazing events are held; it also has a telescope so you can watch the celestial displays in comfort on colder nights and a Dark Skies Trail similar to the one at Danby Lodge.

Good to know: The pay-and-display car park right by Sutton Bank Nature and Star Hub is open 24/7, and is a fabulous place for stargazers to drop by on an informal basis to see what’s happening in the night sky.

Three other excellent ‘unofficial’ stargazing spots 

If you’re hoping to try your luck with the dark skies, you can turn up any time after dark at the following reliable stargazing hotspots – just be aware that there are no facilities at these locations.

Cawthorn Roman Camp

The Cawthorn Roman Camp site is free to enter; arrive late in the day and have a scout around the earthworks before taking up position on the wooden viewing platform – which is fully accessible – overlooking the site, from which you have peerless views over forest and moorland to expansive dark skies and their glittering displays.  

Chop Gate Village Hall car park

Just outside the tiny hamlet of Chop Gate, the area around the village hall is almost totally unaffected by light pollution. The parking is free and – even better – there’s also a decent pub about five minutes’ walk away if you fancy a warming whisky after your night-time adventure. 

Rosedale Chimney Bank car park

High on the moor overlooking the gorgeous village of Rosedale Abbey, Rosedale Chimney car park is a great location for stargazing as there are no towns and cities nearby to create artificial light. It’s one to avoid in icy weather though, as Chimney Bank hill, leading down to the village, is exceptionally steep.

Stargazing Events and Festivals

There are two dark skies festivals held annually in the national park. Remember to book events (and accommodation!) well in advance as places fill up very quickly.

Dark Skies Festival

The year 2025 sees the 10th anniversary of the Dark Skies Festival, to be held 14 February–2 March. Activities include constellation-plaque rubbing at Danby Lodge or Sutton Bank for younger visitors, along with stargazing safaris, astrophotography or art workshops and sensory walks. 

Good to know: This event is held in conjunction with the Yorkshire Dales National Park – two spectacular national parks for the price of one. 

Dark Skies Fringe Festival

The Dark Skies Fringe Festival is a celebration of all things celestial, and it normally coincides with the October/November half term dates, making it ideal for family visits to the park. Activities include guided dark-sky walks, stargazing events and pop-up planetarium evenings in Dalby Forest. For families, there’s also the Dark Skies Trail at Danby Lodge, night-time rides across the moors on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway steam train, and tours of the night sky at eerily gothic Whitby Abbey.

Other stargazing events in the national park

There are lots of other star-studded night-time experiences to be had in the national park throughout the year. Here’s a taster of what’s on offer.

• Full Moon Walks with a backdrop of hooting owls, starting from Sutton Bank Visitor Centre and usually held in November.

• Astronomy workshops led by experts and offering hands-on night sky education sessions. They’re held at Dalby Forest, Danby Lodge and the Bruce Observatory in Whitby.

• Astrophotography sessions led by professional photographer Steve Bell. 

• An annual three-day StarFest star camp held at Adderstone Field, Dalby Forest and run by Scarborough & Ryedale Astronomical Society.

Tips for successful stargazing

One of the many joys of stargazing is that you don’t need any specialist gear, but the following suggestions help to make the most of your experience.

Pitchup’s six top tips for successful stargazing

• Moonless nights (if the moon is too bright, it can detract from your experience)
and the long, darker nights of autumn or winter are stellar star-spotting times.

• Let your eyes get accustomed to the dark to experience the night sky at its best – it takes about half an hour to adjust/

• Avoid light pollution by using a red bike light or a red-light torch (or paint the face of your torch with red nail varnish).

• If you use your phone for vision, change the display to a night-time setting.

• Use a compass (or smartphone apps) so you know where to search for constellations or planets in the sky.

• Although you’ll see plenty with the naked eye, a cheap pair of binoculars will improve your view.

Four things to take stargazing

• Night-time temperatures in the North York Moors National Park get chilly even in the summer, so bring several layers of clothing, plus hats and gloves to keep warm after dark. 

• Take blankets, food and drink to stay comfortable under the star-filled skies.

• Take a comfortable reclining chair so you can spend time gazing upwards without straining your back. 

• If you’re using a telescope or camera on a tripod, set them up before it gets dark. 

Six suggestions for stargazing etiquette 

• Avoid loud behaviour. Stargazing is a peaceful activity and too much noise will disturb other observers as well as the wildlife.

• Don’t litter; leave no trace of your presence.

• Don’t set up too close to other stargazers. 

• If you’ve got young kids with you, supervise them at all times.

• Leave any dogs in the car/at home.

• Make sure you know how to get back to your car/transport/accommodation safely. 

Time to get planning

You now have all Pitchup’s insider information on stargazing at your fingertips, so it’s time to start planning a trip to the national park, the most recent addition to the UK’s roster of dark skies reserves. You can stay in dark skies-friendly accommodation throughout the park, but if you’d like to spend the night under canvas for optimum star spotting, check out Pitchup’s suggestions for camping in the North York Moors while stargazing, or options right across the North Yorkshire region.