Ten Years of Cosmic Skies at Elan Valley Dark Sky Park

A Celebration of the Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park’s Tenth Anniversary!

Join the team from Elan Valley to celebrate this special day, with themed talks, an astrophotography exhibition, children’s activities, an opportunity to buy delicious, dark sky-themed local produce, look at real, live telescope equipment with the First Light Optics team and much more.

Themed Talks

10.30am – Ten Years of the Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park

Matt Gadfield, a member of the Elan Valley Dark Sky Team, will present a talk on the history of the Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park and the efforts made over the past decade to preserve and enhance it.

10.30am – Astronomy for Beginners

Join Pete Williamson (FRAS) as he talks about how you can get started in the wonderful hobby of astronomy; what optical equipment to buy and how to make sense of the night sky.

12pm – Astrophotography for Beginners

Talented astrophotographer and owner of Serydda, Dafydd Wyn Morgan, will share his photography, capturing the astounding night skies in the Cambrian Mountains and talk about how you can get started in photographing great astro-landscapes. His work is inspired by the late Alyn Wallace, a renowned Welsh astrophotographer, who was known for capturing the beauty of dark sky locations in Wales and beyond.

12pm – Herschel to Hawkwind

Join astronomer Pete Williamson FRAS for a fascinating and entertaining talk that mixes history, science and astronomy with music from the dawn of humankind, up until modern times. Not to be missed.

2pm – Dark Sky Communities

Leigh Harling-Bowen will talk about his work in creating the very first Dark Sky Community in England and Wales. In 2023, Presteigne and Norton were given this prestigious designation which continues to lead the way for other communities to learn about how they can reduce man-made light pollution in their own areas and what the future may hold.

2pm – Talking Bats with Henry Scofield

Dr Henry Schofield will talk about the wonderful world of bats and how man-made light pollution is a threat to their very existence. Learn about how improving the environment for their survival will also benefit our own human habitats.

Children’s Activities

Make and Launch Rockets – 10.30am
Join AstroCymru as they show you have to make your own special rocket, learning about the history the best way to make them aerodynamic. Weather permitting, you will also get to launch them into space! Suitable for all ages.

Space Dust Hunting – 12pm
Take the opportunity to handle REAL rocks from space! These space rocks are called meteorites and AstroCymru will help you discover more about where they came from and how they are formed. Suitable for 4-13 year-olds.

Make and Launch Rockets – 2pm
Join AstroCymru as they show you have to make your own special rocket, learning about the history the best way to make them aerodynamic. Weather permitting, you will also get to launch them into space! Suitable for all ages.