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Abbots Well Car Park

Abbots Well Car Park

Frogham, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 2QJ, South East England

Best time to visit

The Abbots Well Car Park is the favoured observing location for the Fordingbridge Astronomers.

Note that as of 20/04/2026, Forestry England are enforcing the purchase of parking tickets at their New Forest car parks, and limiting visiting times from 04:00 to 23:00. If you are visiting this car park, please check for parking restrictions.

Abbots Well Car Park is a Go Stargazing Site. The location has been identified by the Go Stargazing team as a good location for stargazing based on local light pollution levels, distance from nearby towns and cities and offers a safe place to park.

Location events organiser

Fordingbridge Astronomers

Fordingbridge Astronomers organises events at this location

Please contact Fordingbridge Astronomers directly with any enquiries relating to visiting this location

Email: [email protected]
Website: Fordingbridge Astronomers
Facebook: Fordingbridge Astronomers

Weather forecast

  • 01/06/26

    18° 62%

  • 01/06/26

    16° 95%

  • 01/06/26

    15° 83%

  • 02/06/26

    15° 79%

Weather forecast for Fordingbridge (2.0 miles away) updated 01/06/26 at 12:01. Powered by Met Office data.

Local light pollution

Abbots Well Car Park is estimated to have light pollution levels similar to a rural location based on the latest data from the VIIRS satellite. For more advanced light pollution data, view this location on DarkSkySites.

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

Light pollution map of Abbots Well 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 Mon 1st Jun

Mon 1st Jun

Full Moon
100 % illuminated
Dark from 22:00 to 22:03
Dark for 0h 2m
Moon phase on Tue 2nd Jun

Tue 2nd Jun

Full Moon
98 % illuminated
Dark from 22:01 to 22:45
Dark for 0h 43m
Moon phase on Wed 3rd Jun

Wed 3rd Jun

Waning Gibbous
94 % illuminated
Dark from 22:03 to 23:18
Dark for 1h 14m
Moon phase on Thu 4th Jun

Thu 4th Jun

Waning Gibbous
88 % illuminated
Dark from 22:05 to 23:41
Dark for 1h 35m
Moon phase on Fri 5th Jun

Fri 5th Jun

Waning Gibbous
82 % illuminated
Dark from 22:06 to 23:59
Dark for 1h 52m
Moon phase on Sat 6th Jun

Sat 6th Jun

Waning Gibbous
73 % illuminated
Dark from 22:08 to 00:14
Dark for 2h 5m
Moon phase on Sun 7th Jun

Sun 7th Jun

Third Quarter
64 % illuminated
Dark from 22:09 to 00:26
Dark for 2h 16m

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

  • Stargazing at the Island Planetarium

    Tuesday 2nd June 2026 from 19:30pm to 21:30pm

    Island Planetarium, Yarmouth, PO41 0RR (17.4 miles away)

    More info

  • Isle of Wight Observatory open night

    Thursday 4th June 2026 from 20:00pm to 22:30pm

    The Isle of Wight Observatory, Newchurch, PO36 0LX (29.3 miles away)

    More info

  • Cranborne Chase Astronomy Club meeting

    Wednesday 10th June 2026 from 19:15pm to 21:00pm

    Grosvenor Arms Hotel - Shaftesbury, Shaftesbury, SP7 8JA (20.6 miles away)

    More info

  • Southampton Astronomical Society meeting

    Thursday 11th June 2026 from 19:30pm to 21:00pm

    Isaac Watts Memorial Church Hall, Southampton, SO16 6TS (14.3 miles away)

    More info

  • Isle of Wight Observatory open night

    Thursday 11th June 2026 from 20:00pm to 22:30pm

    The Isle of Wight Observatory, Newchurch, PO36 0LX (29.3 miles away)

    More info

Stay and gaze nearby

Stay at one of these stargazing-friendly accommodation providers.

  • Cosy Oak Yurt – Cranborne Chase

    Coombe Bissett, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 4LP (8.2 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

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  • Old Harry – Swanage

    Burlington Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1LT, South West England (22.2 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

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