A National Park is celebrating ten years of preserving our night skies from light pollution with a captivating exhibition.
Northumberland National Park's International Dark Skies Park is marking a decade since its designation by launching a unique "Dark Skies Matter" programme on December 9.
The "Dark Skies Matter" festivities will be centred at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, until March 2024.
This will feature an exhibition called 'Noctalgia: Dark Skies Matter', orchestrated by visual artist Bethan Maddocks.
Noctalgia is a new term invented by astronomers to describe the pain associated with losing access to the night sky due to light pollution: “noctalgia,” meaning “sky grief".
Supported by the Sir James Knott Trust, this innovative exhibition is being created by Mr Maddocks in collaboration with community groups and visitors through creative activities and workshops.
He said, “Dark Skies Matter will delve deep into star systems and the unique ecology of Northumberland National Park, shedding light on the wildlife, plants and flowers that rely on darkness for hunting, foraging and pollination.
"It is a delight to share my creative process with people from the local community and National Park specialists, sharing tales and amplifying local voices to emphasise the critical role of dark skies for people, nature, and the environment.”
The exhibition's centrepiece is a series of intricate sculptures playing with light to cast breathtaking shadows of cutting-edge designs onto walls and screens.
As visitors step into the atmospheric gallery, eye-catching silhouettes, cast by these sculptures, engulf them, displaying a poignant tribute to the visible stars and the wildlife thriving under Northumberland's undisturbed dark skies.
Beyond The Sill, the celebration extends to a series of immersive events and activities for all ages and abilities, including a nighttime safari exploring nocturnal wildlife at Walltown.
Over the past decade, it's estimated that more than ten million visitors have appreciated England's most unspoilt dark skies.
To participate in "Dark Skies Matter" head to www.thesill.org.uk.
Tony Gates, Chief Executive Officer at Northumberland National Park Authority said: “There is a serious message behind our celebrations, 10 years on our dark skies remain under threat from light pollution."
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