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CPRE’s Star Count 2021 – The results are in
This February, more than 7800 people, including 114 from Norfolk, took part in Star Count around the UK, our citizen science project to map the nation’s view of the night sky.
We’re now pleased to be able to share the results.
The results show that overall, UK light pollution has reduced, when compared with 2020 – with lockdown likely to be a big part of the explanation.
51% of people taking part counted ten stars or fewer in the Orion rectangle, meaning they were in an area with severe light pollution. That’s a decrease from 61% last year.
In Norfolk, 43.9% of respondents reported severe light pollution. This may seem a high figure in one of England’s darkest counties, but inspection of the interactive map reveals that many of the counts took place in Norwich or other urban areas where a restricted view of the stars is to be expected.
Eight locations in Norfolk (7% of the total) recorded truly dark skies as indicated by more than 30 stars in the Orion rectangle, showing how dark the rural parts of our county are.
CPRE Norfolk, along with the British Astronomical Association’s Commission for Dark Skies, say that councils and government must act on light pollution so more people can enjoy starry skies.
Read the full results, including an interactive map, at www.cpre.org.uk/starcount
What we’ll do now
If you’ve explored the map and noticed you’re being blinded by beams or left awake by leaking light, fear not. We at CPRE Norfolk will continue our work of many years to influence policy and celebrate dark skies, ensuring that as many of us as possible can enjoy them.
We’ll keep engaging with councils to manage their lighting and cut carbon, help wildlife and let us all enjoy those starry, starry skies.
Stay star-struck with us
Want to do your bit to help us work for velvety nocturnal vistas? We’d love to welcome you aboard as a CPRE Norfolk member.
From as little as £3 a month you can support our work for dark skies and bag yourself some great perks, such as discounts at outdoor clothing shops and reduced entry to attractions!
