Telescopes for beginners | free mobile app

Cow Green Reservoir

Cow Green Reservoir

Upper Teesdale, Langdon Beck, County Durham, DL12

Best time to visit

Wonderful remote location to observe equally wonderful dark skies, at an altitude of 480m this location has free car parking all year round.

Cow Green Reservoir is a Dark Sky Discovery Site, an officially recognised place where anyone can stargaze. Most such locations have overnight parking (sometimes with a fee); however, many do not allow overnight camping. There may or may not be toilet facilities.

Weather forecast

  • 02/05/24

    7° 19%

  • 02/05/24

    6° 20%

  • 03/05/24

    5° 20%

  • 03/05/24

    6° 22%

Weather forecast for Viewing Hill (1.9 miles away) updated 02/05/24 at 04:00.

Local light pollution

Cow Green Reservoir is estimated to have light pollution levels similar to adark site dark site location based on the latest data from the VIIRS satellite.

The above demonstrates the estimated effect of light pollution - graphics created using Stellarium.

Light pollution map of Cow Green Reservoir

Best time to visit

The Moon has a big impact on the visibility of celestial bodies in the night sky. Try to plan your stargazing when there is no bright Moon at night as this is when the skies will be at their darkest.

The below chart shows when the skies will be at their darkest at this location and therefore the best time to visit. Moonlight is shown in light yellow and the Sun's twilight in light blue. Midnight on the date shown is shown as a white line with sunset to the left and sunrise the next morning to the right. A black background with stars shows the best times for stargazing. See our dark sky calendar for more details.

Moon phase on Thu 2nd May

Thu 2nd May

Third Quarter
44 % illuminated
Dark from 21:26 to 02:42
Dark for 5h 15m
Moon phase on Fri 3rd May

Fri 3rd May

Third Quarter
33 % illuminated
Dark from 21:29 to 02:39
Dark for 5h 9m
Moon phase on Sat 4th May

Sat 4th May

Waning Crescent
23 % illuminated
Dark from 21:32 to 02:36
Dark for 5h 3m
Moon phase on Sun 5th May

Sun 5th May

Waning Crescent
14 % illuminated
Dark from 21:35 to 02:33
Dark for 4h 57m
Moon phase on Mon 6th May

Mon 6th May

Waning Crescent
6 % illuminated
Dark from 21:38 to 02:29
Dark for 4h 50m
Moon phase on Tue 7th May

Tue 7th May

New Moon
2 % illuminated
Dark from 21:41 to 02:26
Dark for 4h 44m
Moon phase on Wed 8th May

Wed 8th May

New Moon
0 % illuminated
Dark from 21:44 to 02:23
Dark for 4h 38m

Find more dates

If you are planning to visit this location check our dark sky calendar to find out when is best!

Calendar

Events nearby

Display nearby events on a calendar

  • Bishop Auckland Astronomical Society monthly meeting

    Friday 7th February 2025 from 19:00pm to 21:00pm

    Bishop Auckland Community Fire Station, Bishop Auckland, DL14 6RS (24.7 miles away)

    More info

  • Border Astronomical Society informal meeting and observing

    Thursday 13th February 2025 from 19:30pm to 21:30pm

    Trinity School Observatory, Carlisle, CA1 1JB (29.6 miles away)

    More info

  • Bishop Auckland Astronomical Society monthly meeting

    Friday 7th March 2025 from 19:00pm to 21:00pm

    Bishop Auckland Community Fire Station, Bishop Auckland, DL14 6RS (24.7 miles away)

    More info

  • Border Astronomical Society informal meeting and observing

    Thursday 13th March 2025 from 19:30pm to 21:30pm

    Trinity School Observatory, Carlisle, CA1 1JB (29.6 miles away)

    More info

  • Bishop Auckland Astronomical Society monthly meeting

    Friday 4th April 2025 from 19:00pm to 21:00pm

    Bishop Auckland Community Fire Station, Bishop Auckland, DL14 6RS (24.7 miles away)

    More info

Stay and gaze nearby

Stay at one of these stargazing-friendly accommodation providers.

  • Yore Mill Starfall Apartment – Aysgarth

    Church Bank, Aysgarth, North Yorkshire, DL8 3SR (29.1 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

    More info

  • The Wensleydale Experience

    Swinithwaite, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 4UH (29.5 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

    More info