Moffat in Dumfries & Galloway takes the title of Europe’s very first Dark Sky Town, having adopted special street lighting to keep light pollution to a minimum to preserve the great starry skies above the area. This specific location is that of a car park a mile or so outside of the town. In 2021 the Moffat Community Observatory opened and is a venue for regular public stargazing sessions.
Weather forecast
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17/09/25
15° 8% -
17/09/25
13° 5% -
18/09/25
12° 7% -
18/09/25
12° 8%
Weather forecast for Moffat (1.4 miles away) updated 16/09/25 at 20:02.
Local light pollution
Moffat Dark Sky Town is estimated to have light pollution levels similar to a rural location based on the latest data from the VIIRS satellite.
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Urban
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Suburban
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Semi-rural
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Rural
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Dark site
The above demonstrates the estimated effect of light pollution - graphics created using Stellarium.
Best time to visit
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.
Wed 17th Sep
Thu 18th Sep
Fri 19th Sep
Sat 20th Sep
Sun 21st Sep
Mon 22nd Sep
Tue 23rd Sep
Find more dates
If you are planning to visit this location check our dark sky calendar to find out when is best!
CalendarEvents nearby
Stay and gaze nearby
Stay at one of these stargazing-friendly accommodation providers.