“Remember,” Fildes tells his team, “it’s about interaction, it’s about entertainment, it’s about inspiring people.” Fildes, 49, is at the forefront of the UK’s burgeoning astrotourism industry. The pivotal moment for Northumberland came in 2013 when the entire national park housing Hadrian’s Wall, along with Kielder Water and Forest Park, some 1,500 square kilometers, was awarded Dark Sky Park status, the only one in England. Dark Sky Parks are rare. The 2013 Star Count revealed that only 5% of the UK population can see more than 31 stars on a good night. The Tucson, Arizona-based International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) confers the status only on places that take major steps to avoid light pollution. Recipients must also prove their night skies are sufficiently dark. In Northumberland Dark Sky Park, as the area was rebadged, it is so dark that Venus casts a shadow on the Earth.
What did the 2013 Star Count find?
That only a small portion of the population could see over 31 stars on a clear night That 5% of the UK population goes out to look at stars That Fieldes is the leading figure in the UK’s astrotourism industry That the UK is one of the best countries in the world for stargazing