Take part in this year's Star Count

This year’s Star Count is underway and you can get involved to uncover the spread of light pollution.

It is more fun than it sounds… Each year thousands of people take part in the Star Count, a citizen science project which simply involves counting stars.

All week, until March 6, the project is asking people to spend an evening under the stars and counting the number they can see from their location within the Orion constellation to the south.

As light pollution spreads across the country, our view of the night sky is obscured by artificial light. To help discover the best places to stargaze, this project is looking to uncover dark sky regions.

Last year’s survey which took place amid lockdown discovered a significant drop in the spread of severe light pollution which can impact sleep patterns and confuse wildlife.

In addition to identifying the best areas to stargaze, the project will also reveal regions with the worst amounts of light pollution.

The issue is not just confined to land. NASA satellites have captured images of the North Sea at night showing the spread of artificial light.

Just as on land, marine animals are also impacted by this light. With sleep patterns, feeding schedules, and mating behaviour all seen to alter even with low levels of artificial light.

If you are interested in taking part in the Star Count, head outside for a night this week with a comfy seat and a warm drink.