BOOKING A NOVA STARGAZING EXPERIENCE (STEP BY STEP)
STEP 1. CHOOSE AN EXPERIENCE
Lunar & Planetary (1hr stargazing)
Origins (1.5hrs stargazing)
Evolution (2hrs stargazing)
Our guided stargazing experiences are suitable for everyone. From first-time astronomers and families to seasoned stargazers. We tailor every night sky tour to match your curiosity level.
We have high quality equipment meaning you see incredible sight
Lunar & Planetary (1hr stargazing)
Origins (1.5hrs stargazing)
Evolution (2hrs stargazing)
Our guided stargazing experiences are suitable for everyone. From first-time astronomers and families to seasoned stargazers. We tailor every night sky tour to match your curiosity level.
We have high quality equipment meaning you see incredible sights in the night sky - planets, the moon, star systems, star clusters, nebulae, or galaxies.
Our astronomers will guide you throughout and make the complex, simple to understand. We aim to capture some photos of what you see during your night sky tour so you have some keepsakes to go away with.
STEP 2. CHOOSE A DATE & TIME
Check our availability and then when you're ready to book, enter your chosen date/time at check-out in the box provided.
If the date you're looking to book isn't on our calendar then contact us directly via e-mail, phone or whatsapp. Stargazing experiences are only limited by hours of darkness, clear skies and our availability.
Payment O
Check our availability and then when you're ready to book, enter your chosen date/time at check-out in the box provided.
If the date you're looking to book isn't on our calendar then contact us directly via e-mail, phone or whatsapp. Stargazing experiences are only limited by hours of darkness, clear skies and our availability.
Payment Options:
Via e-mail - BACS, Spread the cost
Via website - Debit card, Credit debit, Google pay, Apple pay, PayPal
Once payment has been received you will be sent a booking/payment confirmation within 24hrs and your date for stargazing is secured.
Looking for a gift card? click here
Start times for stargazing experiences (based on sunset and sunrise):
Jan-Feb (Earliest start: 6pm-7pm) (Latest start: 5am)
Mar-Apr (Earliest start: 7pm-10pm) (Latest start: 3:30am)
May-Jun (Earliest start: 10pm-11pm) (Latest start: 2am)
Jul-Aug (Earliest start: 10pm-11pm) (Latest start: 2:30am)
Sep-Oct (Earliest start: 6pm-8pm) (Latest start: 4:30am)
Nov-Dec (Earliest start 5pm-6pm) (Latest start: 5am)
STEP 3. LOCATION
**Locations 1-50 miles from CV37 9DA are included in the standard price.**
LOCATION OPTIONS:
A: We suggest a location we have previously used.
B: We can find a location based on your postcode (normally a 5-20 mins drive of your home).
If you're in a town/city this may be further).
C: We can stargaze from your garden (if suitable - minimal obs
**Locations 1-50 miles from CV37 9DA are included in the standard price.**
LOCATION OPTIONS:
A: We suggest a location we have previously used.
B: We can find a location based on your postcode (normally a 5-20 mins drive of your home).
If you're in a town/city this may be further).
C: We can stargaze from your garden (if suitable - minimal obstructions required).
D: Recommend a location to us if you know of one (we can check it's suitability).
To lower additional travel costs we can offer a location that is between you and us.
STEP 4. WEATHER UPDATES
Two days before:
You'll receive an update on the weather. At this point we'll have an idea as to whether we can go stargazing on your chosen date or not.
Weather is unpredictable, so we don't confirm the go ahead until the morning of your booked date.
If we can't go ahead then we will look at alternative dates and try again.
We confirm on t
Two days before:
You'll receive an update on the weather. At this point we'll have an idea as to whether we can go stargazing on your chosen date or not.
Weather is unpredictable, so we don't confirm the go ahead until the morning of your booked date.
If we can't go ahead then we will look at alternative dates and try again.
We confirm on the morning of the day as the forecasts are most accurate then.
STEP 5A. What happens if its cloudy?
If the night of your booking can't go ahead due to bad weather, we simply re-book until we have been successful in completing your stargazing experience.
Rescheduling is common and on average it takes 1-6 attempts to complete a stargazing experience due to the weather. Most of the time stargazing experiences are completed in only 1-3 attempts.
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STEP 5B. CLEAR SKIES AND GOOD TO GO STARGAZING
Excellent! Let's go stargazing!
We will meet you at the predetermined location and the arranged time. Our astronomer will have the equipment ready for when you arrive (unless we are coming to your home then we will require 30 mins prior to the start time).
Do Darker Skies Matter?
The image above shows the Bortle Scale and how light pollution affects the night sky. Darker skies locations are recommended to help see more naked eye stars, constellations better, meteors, aurora, the Milky Way and anything that doesn't require optical equipment.
To get the absolute best out of naked eye celesital sights:
1. Get away from light polluted areas (towns/cities).
2. Allow 20-30 mins for your eyes to become dark eye adapted away from any sources of white light.
Even driving a few miles away from local dwellings will make a huge difference. Head to www.gostargazing.co.uk and enter your postcode to find a dark sky spot near you.
We can research good locations that have darker skies but can't always guarantee they will be close to your home if you live in a town or city. If you're outside our normal radius (50 miles from CV37 9DA) we work hard to find a suitable spot that has dark skies but it may be a 30min-1hr drive from your home.
UNOBSTRUCTED VIEWING
When looking for a location with a good night sky view you need to think about a clear 360 degree view from the location you are considering. This is not always possible but the less obstructions there are, the better. Our image shows you a good location and a bad one.
If you are fortunate enough to have a garden / piece of land with an unobstructed view of the night sky and would like to do your stargazing experience at home, then please let us know.
LOCATIONS PERMISSIONS
If you have a location in mind that isn't on your property, then please make sure you have permission to use the site.
This is less of a consideration when it comes to public spaces such as parks, public green areas and other areas but some places still require permission to access the area. If you would like us to help then please pass on the information of the location and we will do our best to check this for you.
