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Shooting Box Car Park

Shooting Box Car Park

Ratlinghope Road, Church Stretton, Shropshire, SY6

Best time to visit

National Trust owned car park, no toilets or lights.

Shooting Box Car Park 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

  • 19/04/24

    9° 1%

  • 19/04/24

    5° 1%

  • 20/04/24

    3° 0%

  • 20/04/24

    2° 0%

Weather forecast for Bridges Long Mynd Youth Hostel (1.4 miles away) updated 19/04/24 at 04:01.

Local light pollution

Shooting Box Car Park 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 Shooting Box Car Park

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 Fri 19th Apr

Fri 19th Apr

Waxing Gibbous
79 % illuminated
NO DARKNESS
Moon phase on Sat 20th Apr

Sat 20th Apr

Waxing Gibbous
86 % illuminated
NO DARKNESS
Moon phase on Sun 21st Apr

Sun 21st Apr

Waxing Gibbous
92 % illuminated
NO DARKNESS
Moon phase on Mon 22nd Apr

Mon 22nd Apr

Full Moon
96 % illuminated
NO DARKNESS
Moon phase on Tue 23rd Apr

Tue 23rd Apr

Full Moon
99 % illuminated
NO DARKNESS
Moon phase on Wed 24th Apr

Wed 24th Apr

Full Moon
100 % illuminated
NO DARKNESS
Moon phase on Thu 25th Apr

Thu 25th Apr

Full Moon
99 % illuminated
Dark from 20:55 to 21:51
Dark for 0h 55m

Find more dates

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

Calendar

Stay and gaze nearby

Stay at one of these stargazing-friendly accommodation providers.

  • Eaton Manor Country Estate

    Eaton-under-Heywood, Church Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 7DH (5.9 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

    More info

  • Alkington Grange Barns

    Alkington, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 3NH (27.5 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

    More info