A Northumberland attraction has welcomed a reduction in light pollution during the coronavirus pandemic.

Astronomers at Kielder Observatory, situated in Northumberland National Park, have benefitted from a drop in light pollution and have taken incredible photos of the night sky throughout the year.

Dan Pye, director of astronomy at Kielder Observatory, said: “There are a number of factors that could have reduced light pollution - from businesses turning their lights off, to people staying at home, to less cars being on the road.

“However, the biggest sources of light pollution are upward facing lighting and streetlights.”

He continued: “I think the level of light pollution will probably return to previous levels after the lifting of lockdowns.

“It’s not something that’s high up on people’s agendas, so it’s important for people like us to highlight how important it is, not only for the conservation of wildlife but also for human wellbeing.”

The observatory has been closed since November but opened to visitors for a short period between lockdowns last year.

In a video on BBC News, it was revealed that as much as 85 per cent of the population have never seen dark skies.

Mr Pye said: “Many people who come to Kielder don’t realise how many stars there are until they see them for the first time with the naked eye. It’s a bit different if you come on a cloudy night though, people are shocked at how dark it really is. We call it a dark sky park for a reason.”

A nationwide star count by the countryside charity CPRE revealed that there was a 10 per cent drop in the amount of people who could see 10 stars or less over lockdown.

However, Mr Pye did not necessarily think this was due to the drop in light pollution. He said: “There’s been an increase in the amount of people looking up during lockdown – many more are actively stargazing which could be a contributing factor to that statistic.

“Nevertheless, it’s great that more people can see more stars and it’ll encourage them to find out more about astronomy and how it affects our daily lives. Walkie talkies, mobile phones, and pacemakers are all direct results of a field of astronomy or a desire to explore the cosmos.”

Kielder Observatory is currently closed but is expected to open on May 17 as part of Step 3 of the Government’s Roadmap out of lockdown.