Star Count 2023

What is Star Count?

We think that dark and starry skies are a special part of enjoying our countryside. Nothing beats looking upwards to see velvety blackness, with twinkling constellations as far as the eye can see.

Our buildings and roads emit light, though, and this can affect our view of truly dark skies, and cause problems for wildlife. We want to make sure that we can all enjoy starlit nights, and we need your help in measuring what effect light is having on our views of the galaxy.

Every year, around February, we ask people from all across the country to become ‘citizen scientists’ and look heavenwards for one night. You don’t need any special equipment – it’s all done with the naked eye. It’s great for kids too, in fact we’ve even created a Star Count activity pack for kids aged five and up, which you can download here.

Over the years, many thousands of you have submitted your counts, which our experts then analyse and compare with previous years. We then publish our findings on the website, and email those who took part.

Your results from Star Count help us make a map of where star-spotters are enjoying deep, dark skies. By showing on a map where light pollution is most serious, we can work with local councils and others to decide what to do about it.

Explore the 2023 Star Count map

Together, we can work towards rewilding our skies for the benefit of people and wildlife.

Our work on dark skies

Starry skies are one of the most magical sights the countryside can offer. Light pollution not only limits our views of these skies, but also disrupts wildlife’s natural patterns. Learn more about our work to rewild our skies. Find out about our work on dark skies.