Scottish Dark Sky Observatory

This observatory, perched atop a hill in a country known for its wet, cloudy weather, offers visitors a dazzling celestial experience. On a clear night, you’ll see bright stars speckling nearly every inch of sky. If you time your visit correctly, you may even see the Northern Lights painting the horizon in a blaze of colors.

The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory is a publically accessible observatory and planetarium located on the northern edge of the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park. The dark sky park was the first in the United Kingdom and Europe.

An educational facility, its aim is to let people see the night sky without light pollution spoiling the heavens. While surrounded by such darkness, people can better learn about astronomy and the celestial world.

The observatory, built in 2012, features two telescopes that allow for detailed views of the Moon, planets, and stars, and even the more faint and distant objects in the universe. A planetarium, which facilitates views of the night sky indoors or on cloudier nights, was constructed in 2017, making the observatory worth a visit even in inclement weather.

It’s now a prized educational asset to the region. Thousands of people from across the U.K.—and the world—visit the observatory each year for a chance to see the night sky in all its dark beauty.