At the first of the Stewartry U3A 2016 – 2017 programme of meetings on 27 September, Keith Muir, Head of Tourism, Galloway Forest Park, Forest Enterprise Scotland, gave a talk on Why Have a Dark Sky Park in Galloway?
The Dark Sky Park was set up in 2009 as the first in the UK. It is within the area of the Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere, which was designated as a Biosphere by UNESCO in view of the importance of the natural heritage of the area. The staff of the Dark Sky Park work with those involved in the Biosphere to try to reduce energy consumption, support conservation and attract tourists to the area in both summer and winter.
Keith said that with more and more people living in or close to an urban environment over 80% of people in the UK never see true darkness and less than 2% of the population will ever see the Milky Way. Both can be experienced in the Dark Sky Park.
Within the area of the Park, sodium street lights are being replaced with LED lights which direct the light downwards and this will make a considerable difference to the amount of light pollution. Everyone can reduce the amount of light pollution and save energy by switching off unnecessary lights – some people leave outside lights on all night – and by making sure lights are directed downwards.
Keith concluded by giving some mind- boggling statistics about the distances between the earth and other planets, the number of galaxies and other planets and put in perspective the relative diminutive size of the Earth.
The next meeting of the Stewartry U3A will be held on Tuesday 25 October at 2.00pm when Peter Banks will give a talk entitled “What Hitler did for me – the impact of the 30s refugees from Germany”.