Dark skies from the back garden

Stargazing in the garden

Trawden sits under the moors at the edge of Pendle, away from big-town glow, so on a clear night the cottage's private garden is a lovely place to look up. Switch off the indoor lights, give your eyes 15 to 20 minutes to adjust, and use a red light or your phone's dimmest screen. On moonless nights you'll pick out the Plough, Cassiopeia and, from late summer into autumn, the Milky Way. In mid-August, look out for the Perseid meteor shower.

Wrap up warm with a blanket and a cup of cocoa.

A free app to name the stars

Stellarium Mobile is free on iPhone and Android. Hold your phone up to the sky and it shows which stars, planets and constellations you're looking at, and it works offline once installed. Use its night mode to keep the screen red so you don't lose your dark-adapted eyes. A paid Plus version exists, but the free app is all you need. Stellarium Mobile ↗

Northern lights over Trawden

The aurora has been seen from Trawden on many nights, especially during strong solar activity. For a free alert when it might be visible, install AuroraWatch UK. The alerts come from scientists at Lancaster University's Department of Physics, and the free apps are on iPhone and Android. AuroraWatch UK alerts and apps ↗

When an amber or red alert comes in, head outside, look north and give it time. A phone camera on night mode often picks up the colours before your eyes do.

Going further

For even darker skies, the Forest of Bowland is home to official Dark Sky Discovery Sites, including Gisburn Forest Hub, about 45 to 50 minutes' drive. Winter evenings are best, when nights are longest. Forest of Bowland stargazing ↗