Where to See the Northern Lights in Scotland & Stargazing with Kids

Where to See the Northern Lights in Scotland & Stargazing with Kids – As the nights draw in and with many of us not able to travel far, perhaps it’s time to look up!  VisitScotland has shared a kit listing star gazing activities and ideas that can be experienced in your own house/garden/park -scroll down for the full pack and take yourself to the stars.

Where to See the Northern Lights in Scotland & Stargazing with Kids – info from VisitScotland

Stargazing at Clatteringshaws Loch, Galloway Forest Park – the UK’s first Dark Sky Park. P. Tomkins / VisitScotland

Galloway Forest Park – The UK’s first Dark Sky Park is a perfect location to not only explore during the day, but observe over 7,000 visible stars by night.

The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory -Located on a hilltop within the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park, this public observatory runs stargazing tours and includes a spectacular planetarium.

Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway – Europe’s very first Dark Sky Town, adopted special street lighting to keep light pollution to a minimum.

The Mills Observatory, Dundee – Gifted to the people of Dundee in 1935, Mills Observatory is Britain’s first purpose-built public observatory. You can see breath- taking views of the stars and planets through the impressive Victorian refracting telescope.

Isle of Coll, Inner Hebrides – This stunning ‘Dark Sky Island’ is a popular draw for budding astronomers. The Cosmos Planetarium also offers a fascinating haven for star enthusiasts, young and old alike.

Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides – Get back to basics, Lewis is home to one of Scotland’s earliest astronomical observatories, the Calanais Standing Stones.

Where to Spot the Northern Lights in Scotland

1 Shetland, Orkney and Caithness

2 Aberdeenshire, Moray

3 Lewis and Harris

4 Rannoch Moor

5 The Cairngorms

Watch a host of youtube clips put together by VisitScotland and the Glasgow Science Centre at youtube.com/visitscotland.