Two dark-sky spots on the city's edge, and a free astronomy talk on 5 November

The South Downs has come second in a ranking of national parks for stargazing, drawn up by AA Car Insurance¹ and reported by the Argus². The insurer scored 15 national parks on light pollution, cloud cover, air quality and rainy days. The South Downs got 84.96 out of 100, just behind the New Forest on 86.51. The list sits on the AA’s car insurance pages, next to advice on night driving.

Two of the park’s dark-sky spots are on the city’s edge. The South Downs National Park^3,4,5 marks 10 years as an International Dark Sky Reserve this year, and its list of Dark Sky Discovery Sites includes Devil’s Dyke and Ditchling Beacon, the highest point in East Sussex. The park authority says the sites are “free from the worst effects of urban light pollution”. It doesn’t own them. It asks visitors to park only in the car parks, not on verges, and to take litter home where there are no bins. None of the sites allows overnight camping.

Its beginner’s guide says stargazing is best when the moon isn’t visible, so check the phase before you go. Give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust, and if you need a torch, use one with a red light.

The city has its own astronomy club. Brighton Astro⁶ holds a talk once a month and is open to beginners. Its next meeting is on Thursday 5 November at Wagner Hall on Regency Road, where Tahani Baldwin, a neuroscience PhD candidate at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, will talk about the psychology and neuroscience behind our drive to explore space. Arrive from 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Entry is free, with donations welcome towards the cost of the hall. Space is limited, so sign up on Meetup⁷ first.

The club sometimes takes its telescopes out too, weather permitting. Those trips can be arranged at short notice, so it says to keep an eye on its social media feeds.