Stargazing In Dalby Forest With Astro Dog
Enjoy a guided tour of the night sky, View amazing deep space objects through a telescope (weather permitting) and Travel to the edge of the universe. Learn about astronomy equipment, the history of astronomy and awesome astronomy apps! Enjoy all of this and more set in one of the worlds premiere stargazing locations!
Please read the important information at the bottom of this page before placing any bookings!
Read on for more information...
Visit One Of The Worlds Premiere Stargazing Sites
All of our public stargazing events take place at our cozy Stargazing Hub, located in the beautiful woods of Dalby Forest. Dalby Forest is an excellent stargazing location with amazingly dark skies allowing you to see the Milky Way clearly with the naked eye. Set within the heart of the International Dark Sky Reserve of the North York Moors National Park, Dalby Forest is one of the premiere stargazing sites in the world!
Enjoy A Guided Tour Of The Night Sky And View Incredible Deep Sky Objects
Learn about the stars, constellations, asterisms, star-hopping, how to navigate the night sky and how to identify objects.
Learn how to use telescopes to view a stunning array of deep space objects.
When the skies are clear, use our large aperture telescopes to view double stars, star clusters, galaxies, nebulae, the Moon and planets.
Learn all about these celestial treats from our experienced astronomers whilst you stargaze under a star studded blanket of dark skies.
Use State Of The Art Observatory Class Equipment!
When the skies are clear, get the chance to use state of the art modern equipment to get even closer to the stars.
Our new observatory grade large aperture telescopes and tracking mounts will give you views of incredible deep space objects on par with some of the largest observatories in the country.
Enjoy Lots Of Interesting And Fun Activities Whatever The Weather!
We always prioritise the use of our large aperture telescopes to look at and learn about the night sky, and If there are clear skies we always make the most of them.
However, even if the weather is not ideal for practical stargazing, don't worry! We have many other exciting things to enjoy and other ways to take you to the stars.
Travel To The Edge Of The Universe In Our Planetarium Dome
If the skies aren't clear, we can take you to the stars using technology! Learn about the history of astronomy and space travel, fly through our solar system and embark on a journey to the edge of the known universe in our immersive 360° planetarium dome. View and learn about the wonders of the universe with the breathtaking experience of surround vision.
Our planetarium dome can also be hired out for private events
Learn About Planetarium Software And Other Astronomy Related Apps
Learn how to view the night sky from the comfort of your home and how to plan your own stargazing outings using planetarium software. Learn about useful astronomy related apps, software and space simulators that can aid you in stargazing, astrophotography and learning more about the universe.
Enjoy Interesting Talks And Presentations On Astronomy, Astrophotography And The Equipment Involved
Learn about the equipment and accessories involved in stargazing and astrophotography such as binoculars, telescopes, tripods and tracking mounts. Enjoy a short presentation on astrophotography, including images of planets, star clusters, galaxies, nebulae, noctilucent clouds and the Aurora Borealis. View images taken from different locations in Dalby Forest, displaying the excellent quality of dark skies in the North York Moors International Dark Sky Reserve.
Have Your Questions Answered By An Astronomer
Ask our experienced astronomers your astronomy related questions and we will do our best to answer your queries. Want to know more about something or need advice on equipment? No problem! We are always happy to share our knowledge of astronomy and astrophotography and can give you tips and tricks to aid you.
Take Home A Memento Of Your Visit From Our New Gift Shop!
If you would like to take home a memento of your experience or a special gift for a friend or loved one, we now have our very own gift shop! We have a wide range of items available including clothing, jewellery, torches, toys, keyrings, and even real pieces of meteorites and the Moon!
Other Important Information
Please make sure you have read and understand the following information before placing a booking:
PLEASE BE AWARE: Due to changes implemented by Forestry England, all visitors to Dalby Forest from February 2024 onwards will be required to pay a £3 parking fee in order to use the Dalby Forest car park facilities. This fee must be payed before you leave the forest after attending one of our events. This fee goes straight to Forestry England and is a reduced fee compared to the daytime parking charges of £5-£10. Before you leave an event, you will be issued a one-time-use code to use at a parking pay station. This code will allow you access to the reduced parking fee of £3. If you have a Dalby Forest Membership or a Forestry England National Membership you will not need to pay for parking.
Please see our 'FAQ' page for answers to frequently asked questions.
Please see our 'Where To Find Us' page to help you know how to find us in Dalby Forest.
Make sure to fill in your contact details correctly in full so we can send you confirmation of your booking.
Please leave a contact telephone number in case we need to contact you about any last minute event cancellations (although cancellations are very unlikely we may need to contact you with short notice.)
Some e-mail services such as hotmail, may send your confirmation to your junk folder. If you can't find your confirmation e-mail, please check your e-mails junk folder.
Children under the age of 6 may attend events free of charge with an accompanying, paying adult. We welcome guests of all ages, however we recommend only children from the age of 6 and upwards attend events as they will benefit more from our sessions.
Childrens tickets are for ages 6-15. Guests aged 16 and over require an adult ticket.
It is advisable to dress warm. It can get a little chilly at Dalby Forest on stargazing nights, so make sure to wrap up! A hot drink is included in your booking, and we have an indoor heated space should you need to warm up.
You may wish to bring a torch! Dalby Forest is very dark at night and you will need a torch to light your way to our stargazing hub from the car park. During an event, please be considerate of others when using a torch. Bright torches ruin your night vision, please only use small torches during events. If you have a torch that emits red light only, feel free to use this. Red light has less of an effect on your night vision.
It is not recommended to bring dogs to events. Guide dogs and Support dogs are permitted.
Please note mobile phone signal is very poor within Dalby Forest.
If you believe you will arrive late to an event please text/whatsapp us on 07540131077 or email us at contact@astro-dog.co.uk we cannot recieve calls in Dalby Forest due to poor signal.
Public events run for roughly 2-2½ hours.
Refund/Cancellation Policy + Terms and Conditions
Our stargazing events take place even if the weather is not ideal. Should the skies be cloudy, there is still lots for guests to enjoy.
We only cancel events if the weather may be considered dangerous and the forest is closed to the public.
REFUNDS CANNOT BE ISSUED ONCE BOOKINGS HAVE BEEN PLACED.
BY PLACING A BOOKING YOU ARE AGREEING TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
In the rare event of the forest being closed due to dangerous weather, we will give you a choice of options:
Change the date of your booking to another possible event date.
Receive a gift card equal to your booking total, that can be redeemed for another event or in our store.
Be issued a full refund.