Can you help dark skies campaigners' count the stars

RURAL campaigners and scientists are looking to recruit amateur stargazers from Rotherham to help them map light pollution.

It is all part of the national Star Count Week, which starts on Friday, January 20.

The team behind the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and the British Astronomical Association’s Campaign for Dark Skies (CfDS) are asking people to take part in the 2012 Star Count Week between January 20 and 27, when the skies should be at their darkest at the time of the new moon.

Stargazers will be asked to count the number of stars they can see within the constellation of Orion.

The results will help create a 2012 Star Count map, illustrating how light pollution is affecting the view of the night sky across the UK.

People should make a count of the number of stars seen with the naked eye—not with telescopes or binoculars—and complete the online survey form at www.surveymonkey.com/s/starcount-2012, or send their count, the time and date it was made, and the location to Star Count, Campaign for Dark Skies, 38 The Vineries, Colehill, Wimborne, BH21 2PX.

Further details of the Star Count Week and instructions on how to take part can be found at www.cpre.org.uk/starcount

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