Dark Skies...

Since we started the residency, the weather has made it tricky for us to get a good look at the night sky - we were hoping to accompany a school astronomy trip with Galloway Forest Park Ranger, Lucy Hadley, however that had to be cancelled as it was too cloudy. 


Fortunately with the clear skies over the past few days , we have been able to really appreciate the beauty of the stars... and more! I've particularly enjoyed watching the Venus / Jupiter conjunction in the West. Although they are not so close now, they are still stunning with the waxing moon adding to the spectacle.


Yesterday March 29, 2012, the waxing moon shone right in front of the  big loop of stars known as the Winter Circle or the Winter Hexagon. The Winter Circle won’t start to fade into the glare of evening twilight till late April or May.

Steve Owens is chair of the International dark Skies Association's Dark Sky Places Development Committee and was instrumental in the development of the Galloway Forest  Dark Skies Park. He has a great online blog which updates on all kinds of astronomical events and has links to related organizations. Check it out at:


www.darkskydiary.wordpress.com


We're hoping to meet up with Steve soon to get his perspective on the development of Dark Skies Parks and on the potential role of artists in these newly designated places. 

Welcome

We are just getting started on the Residency and are looking forward to considering the nature of the Dark Skies Park and Biosphere, their impact and the potential role of artists.

We will be investigating the designation and meaning of place and in relation to the Dark Skies Park, exploring our relationship with the night sky and looking at how developments in astronomy and cosmology relate to identity and heritage. Within the Biosphere we'll be looking at the history of the area and the spiritual and emotional connections to place. We'll also be considering water - the Biosphere has used the area served by the same water courses, to delineate its boundaries.

We've been spending the first part of the residency meeting key people involved with the Galloway Forest Dark Skies Park and Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere. We're trying to build an understanding of the background to the designation of these areas and their aims, as well as starting on a period of research.


For more info see:
www.forestry.gov.uk/darkskygalloway
www.gallowayandsouthernayrshirebiosphere.org.uk


Both places cover very similar areas and we'll be spending time exploring!


Galloway Dark Skies Park - Rhinns of Kells area in
centre

Biosphere - Core areas in Red  - surrounded by Buffer Zone in green and a transitional zone delineated by the hatched area