15 of the best places to stargaze in the UK according to light pollution experts - full list
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Stargazers across the UK have had some of the best opportunities this year to see the night sky. From the blazing aurora borealis which graced skies even in the most southern parts of the country, to the recent full moon also known as the Pink Moon, there’s been so much on offer.
There’s never been a better time to join in the popular activity of stargazing. Best Gambling Sites have got newbies and professionals alike covered with their new study around light pollution that has determined the locations stargazers should visit with the best opportunity to catch the clearest view of the night sky.
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James Roy, brain health expert from Brainworks Neurotherapy, commented on the impact of light pollution and not seeing stars regularly: “As humans, we are biologically inclined to be awake during the day and asleep at night. Daylight is the natural regulator of our circadian rhythms, so the more light we introduce into our nighttime skies, the harder it is for our bodies to determine what time it actually is.
“Even low levels of artificial light intensity at night have been found to suppress melatonin production, our sleep hormone which induces drowsiness, making it harder for us to fall asleep. This can lead to insomnia which will cause tiredness, fatigue and poor mental health.
“On a brain level, the ‘out of sync’ daylight hours and sleep disruption weaken the power of our all-important frontal lobes. A weakening of our frontal brain activity impairs memory, decision making and our ability to regulate our emotional reactions.”
So, where are the best places to stargaze in the UK? Here’s everything you need to know.
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The best locations in the UK to see stars
Best Gambling Sites were keen to discover where in the UK has the best visibility for stargazing by analysing light pollution data. Using a list of 82 locations across the UK they collected Bortle scale (class 1 - 9), SQM (mag./arc sec2) and artificial brightness (µcd/m2) for each location. From this information they were able to create a score out of 100 for each location to find the top places to stargaze in the UK.
Here are the top 15 places, as well as their score out of 100, to stargaze in the UK:
1. St Davids - Pembrokeshire - 74.4
2. Uckfield - East Sussex - 73.8
3. Truro - Cornwall - 73.5
4. Wells - Somerset - 73.2
5. Kendal - Cumbria - 72.9
6. Ripon - North Yorkshire - 71.4
7. Winchester - Hampshire - 71.1
=8. Eastbourne - East Sussex - 70.8
=8. Haverhill - Suffolk - 70.8
10. Elgin - Moray - 70.2
=11. Chippenham - Wiltshire - 69.8
=11. Ely - Cambridgeshire - 69.8
13. Salisbury - Wiltshire - 69.5
14. Folkestone - Kent - 68.9
15. Hastings - East Sussex - 68.6
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