Telescopes for beginners | free mobile app | Smart telescopes

Scutchamer Knob Car Park

Scutchamer Knob Car Park

The Ridgeway, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12, South East England

Best time to visit

Escape the light pollution from Didcot and Wantage and enjoy splendid views of the starry skies, particularly towards the South, at this car park on The Ridgeway.

Scutchamer Knob 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.

Weather forecast

  • 11/07/26

    30° 0%

  • 11/07/26

    30° 0%

  • 11/07/26

    28° 0%

  • 12/07/26

    21° 1%

Weather forecast for Didcot (5.2 miles away) updated 11/07/26 at 06:01. Powered by Met Office data.

Local light pollution

Scutchamer Knob Car Park is estimated to have light pollution levels similar to a semi-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 Scutchamer Knob 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 Sat 11th Jul

Sat 11th Jul

Waning Crescent
17 % illuminated
Dark from 22:13 to 01:00
Dark for 2h 46m
Moon phase on Sun 12th Jul

Sun 12th Jul

Waning Crescent
9 % illuminated
Dark from 22:11 to 02:05
Dark for 3h 53m
Moon phase on Mon 13th Jul

Mon 13th Jul

New Moon
3 % illuminated
Dark from 22:10 to 02:14
Dark for 4h 4m
Moon phase on Tue 14th Jul

Tue 14th Jul

New Moon
0 % illuminated
Dark from 22:08 to 02:16
Dark for 4h 7m
Moon phase on Wed 15th Jul

Wed 15th Jul

New Moon
1 % illuminated
Dark from 22:06 to 02:18
Dark for 4h 11m
Moon phase on Thu 16th Jul

Thu 16th Jul

New Moon
4 % illuminated
Dark from 22:04 to 02:20
Dark for 4h 15m
Moon phase on Fri 17th Jul

Fri 17th Jul

Waxing Crescent
9 % illuminated
Dark from 22:02 to 02:22
Dark for 4h 19m

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

  • Chipping Norton Amateur Astronomy Group meeting

    Monday 20th July 2026 from 19:30pm to 21:00pm

    Chipping Norton Methodist Hall, Chipping Norton, OX7 5LH (27.6 miles away)

    More info

  • Aylesbury Astronomical Society meeting

    Monday 3rd August 2026 from 19:30pm to 21:00pm

    Aylesbury Scout Hut, Aylesbury, HP20 1LL (29.5 miles away)

    More info

  • East Oxford Astronomy Club meeting and observing

    Tuesday 4th August 2026 from 19:00pm to 20:00pm

    Leys College and African School, Oxford, OX4 6HN (12.5 miles away)

    More info

  • See the partial eclipse at UTC Oxfordshire (free event!)

    Wednesday 12th August 2026 from 18:30pm to 20:00pm

    UTC Oxfordshire, Didcot, OX11 6BZ (4.1 miles away)

    More info

  • Inkpen Stargazers meeting and observing

    Wednesday 12th August 2026 from 19:30pm to 21:30pm

    Inkpen Memorial Ground and Pavilion, Hungerford, RG17 9QA (14.1 miles away)

    More info

Stay and gaze nearby

Stay at one of these stargazing-friendly accommodation providers.

  • Wild Camping Wiltshire

    Dark Lane, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 3FZ, South West England (19.3 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

    More info