Sussex star count starts tonight

People are being urged to help track light pollution while also enjoying a fun activity

Author: Adam GoacherPublished 6th Feb 2021
Last updated 6th Feb 2021

Sussex's residents are being urged to look to the skies from tonight.

Countryside charity CPRE Sussex have organised a county-wide star count, starting tonight and running until the 14th of February.

It's main aim is to track light pollution in the county, but the charity also says it can be used as a fun activity for the family to do in the garden during lockdown.

The charity says that with less traffic in the air and on the roads, the stars could be the brightest they have been for a generation.

“Star-filled skies are a truly magical sight,” says CPRE Sussex Director, Kia Trainor, “but sadly, over the past decades, fewer and fewer people have been able to experience the joy of truly dark skies.”

“It will be very interesting to see if lockdown has brought about any reduction in light pollution, and if so, if this reduction is widespread or localised. However, for this study to be successful we need as many people as possible to take part in our Star Count.”

CPRE Sussex’s Star Count guide can be found here.

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