We are lucky to be able to see dark skies (clouds permitting) up here on the hill at Chrishall. The Council to Protect Rural England is encouraging us all to do a star count this week. Doing a star count is simple – whether you live in town or country, just look to the night sky on a clear night from tonight until 14 February and tell them how many stars you can see within the constellation of Orion.
Here are 5 simple steps you can follow to take part in Star Count
1. Try to pick a clear night for your count, and wait until after 7pm so the sky is really dark. Please do your Star Count from home only. This could be your garden, balcony, doorstep or bedroom window.
2. Turn off all the lights in your home and let your eyes adjust (the longer you wait, the better).
3. Look south (the way satellite dishes point) and find the Orion constellation, with its four corners and three-star ‘belt’.
4. Count the number of stars you can see within the rectangle made by the four corner stars. Don’t count the corner stars, but you can count the three stars in the middle – the belt.
5. Make a note of the number of stars seen with the naked eye (not with telescopes or binoculars) and then submit your count on our website.