South Downs festival to show Sussex the wonders of the night sky

By this point, bookcases have been exhausted, the Scrabble set has lost its allure and Netflix's back catalogue has been well and truly ravaged.

The search for a passable pastime is becoming ever more difficult.

But, thanks to a national park, there is no need to look any further. In fact, just look up.

The South Downs National Park's Dark Skies Festival will help people discover the incredible sights available above their heads.

The event, which starts on February 12, will include some top tips for stargazing from the garden and a real-time tour of the night sky with acclaimed astronomer Professor John Mason, from the South Downs Planetarium and Science Centre.

Professor Mason will be identifying what can be seen in the sky that night and pointing out interesting sights and constellations.

Dark skies over Arundel Castle by Jamie Fielding

On February 18, as part of the festival, he will also be giving a talk on the expected landing of the NASA rover “Perseverance” on Mars.

The rover launched on July 30 last year to explore the planet for evidence of alien life, both past and present.

It is targeting a landing site inside Mars's Jezero Crater – an ancient lake bed that may have once been habitable for simple life.

Another activity available during the week is an interactive Facebook Live session with park rangers who will set up a stargazing evening in their back garden.

Sussex, and the South Downs in particular, is the perfect place to do this.

The national park is one of only a handful of International Dark Sky Reserves in the world, meaning it has been recognised for the exceptional quality of its starry nights and nocturnal environment.

The South Downs National Park Authority says the park is the best place in the South East to view constellations, planets and distant galaxies.

Birling Gap by Les Hunt

The park's lead ranger Dan Oakley, better known to many as Dark Skies Dan, said: "Our Dark Skies Festival will be different this year, but we’re really hoping to be able to inspire people about how amazing and important our dark skies are.

"It’s going to have something for everyone – whether you’re interested in nocturnal wildlife, stargazing, astrophotography or people’s connection with the cosmos throughout history.

"Coinciding with half term, we hope it’s going to give people of all ages some fun learning and interesting activities they can do while staying at home."

But he warned that Sussex's stunning night sky was in danger.

He said: " “Dark Skies are under threat – particularly in the South East. We consider the star-studded skies above our heads are as valuable as our beautiful rolling landscapes.

"There’s growing evidence that dark skies help nature to flourish and are vital for ecosystems to function.

South Downs dark skies ranger Dan Oakley

"The evidence is showing that light can be very disruptive to many different species, not just from a disruption to their circadian body clocks, but also as a barrier to migration, movement and ecosystem integrity.

"A whole range of species, including birds, bats, amphibians and invertebrates rely on dark habitat and the natural shift from night to day. Therefore, dark skies are a key component for nature recovery – which is one of key priorities for the South Downs National Park over the next five to 10 years.

"Apart from anything, it’s a real spectacle to see these immense views of the night’s sky in the South Downs – connecting not only with nature but also the wider universe.

"I think most people would agree it’s a very humbling and calming experience that gives us a much wider perspective.

"It’s an amazing universe that we live in on this little planet called Earth and it’s also amazing that Mars may also have had biodiversity."