Telescopes for beginners | free mobile app | Smart telescopes

Essex Wildlife Trust Thameside Nature Discovery Park

Essex Wildlife Trust Thameside Nature Discovery Park

Mucking Wharf Road, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, SS17 0RN

Best time to visit

Weather forecast

  • 02/05/26

    21° 8%

  • 02/05/26

    21° 95%

  • 02/05/26

    17° 69%

  • 03/05/26

    14° 21%

Weather forecast for Gravesend (5.0 miles away) updated 02/05/26 at 12:01. Powered by Met Office data.

Local light pollution

Essex Wildlife Trust Thameside Nature Discovery Park is estimated to have light pollution levels similar to a suburban 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 Essex Wildlife Trust Thameside Nature Discovery 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 Sat 2nd May

Sat 2nd May

Full Moon
100 % illuminated
Dark from 20:51 to 20:57
Dark for 0h 5m
Moon phase on Sun 3rd May

Sun 3rd May

Full Moon
98 % illuminated
Dark from 20:53 to 22:08
Dark for 1h 14m
Moon phase on Mon 4th May

Mon 4th May

Waning Gibbous
95 % illuminated
Dark from 20:55 to 23:11
Dark for 2h 15m
Moon phase on Tue 5th May

Tue 5th May

Waning Gibbous
90 % illuminated
Dark from 20:58 to 00:02
Dark for 3h 3m
Moon phase on Wed 6th May

Wed 6th May

Waning Gibbous
84 % illuminated
Dark from 21:00 to 00:41
Dark for 3h 40m
Moon phase on Thu 7th May

Thu 7th May

Waning Gibbous
77 % illuminated
Dark from 21:02 to 01:10
Dark for 4h 7m
Moon phase on Fri 8th May

Fri 8th May

Third Quarter
68 % illuminated
Dark from 21:04 to 01:31
Dark for 4h 26m

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

  • Our Moon – interactive talk and experiments for kids

    Saturday 2nd May 2026 from 18:30pm to 20:00pm

    Selsdon Community Clubhouse, South Croydon, CR2 8LA (24.3 miles away)

    More info

  • Thurrock Astronomy Society meeting

    Wednesday 6th May 2026 from 19:30pm to 21:30pm

    Horndon-on-the-Hill Methodist Hall, Horndon-on-the-Hill, SS17 8LQ (2.4 miles away)

    More info

  • Castle Point Astronomy Club meeting

    Wednesday 6th May 2026 from 20:00pm to 22:00pm

    St Michael and All Angels Church, Hadleigh, SS7 2UW (8.9 miles away)

    More info

  • Havering Astronomical Society Young Astronomers Group

    Thursday 7th May 2026 from 19:00pm to 20:00pm

    Thames Chase Forest Centre, Upminster, RM14 3NS (7.8 miles away)

    More info

  • Informal observing evening with Crayford Manor Astronomical Society

    Thursday 7th May 2026 from 19:45pm to 21:30pm

    The Dick Chambers Observatory, Dartford, DA4 9HD (10.6 miles away)

    More info

Stay and gaze nearby

Stay at one of these stargazing-friendly accommodation providers.

No locations found