Photographers have been urged to capture glimmers in the night sky for an annual competition. As the nights draw in and nocturnal wildlife emerges earlier in the evening, the South Downs National Park wants people to embrace the darkness for this year’s dark skies photography competition. This year’s theme is “glimmers” with the park looking for entries that capture the “micro-moments of joy” that make people feel happy and inspired such as walking under a blanket of stars, under the glow of the moon or admiring nature.
Winners of the astrophotography competition could win £100 for their breathtaking images of the night sky. Heather and the Milky Way (Image: Carl Gough) The dark skies season will begin with a guided night walk and star party at Alice Holt Forest on October 30. Read more: Sadness as 800-year-old fair will NOT take place A series of podcasts are also being produced with a focus on how being in touch with the dark skies can boost health and wellbeing, discussing people’s connections to the dark skies and how to get the most out of a night-time visit to the national park.
To tie-in with Halloween, the national park will also share “the not-so spooky species of the South Downs”, highlighting creatures of the night like bats, owls and moths. The bioluminescence of glowworms and biofluorescence of other life will also be celebrated as part of the season, with the flagship event being the ever-popular Dark Skies Festival, taking place from February.