hebridean dark skies festival

Ask The Astronomers (Live-streamed Event)

/ Stephen Mackintosh / Leave a comment

On Thursday 16th March at 7pm I’ll be participating in a live streamed event organised by An Lanntair. Details below:

“What are your biggest questions about the night sky, stars, galaxies, nebulas, constellations, black holes…. and the whole Universe?

As part of this year’s Hebridean Dark Skies Festival we’re hosting a live streamed event where you can put your astronomy questions to a panel including Stephen Mackintosh of Highland Astronomy and the team from Dynamic Earth Planetarium.

Join us in An Lanntair’s auditorium or from home via Facebook Live.

We’ll get through as many questions a possible on the night but if possible please submit yours in advance to andrew@anlanntair.com.“

2023 Hebridean Dark Skies Festival

/ Stephen Mackintosh / Leave a comment

I’ll be sky and star guiding from remote and beautiful Lewis this March, for the 2023 Hebridean Dark Skies Festival, with dates spanning 18-21st March. Tickets and event info below and in the accompanying link. On Thursday 16th March I’ll also be joining the HDS panel for a special facebook live session “Ask the Astronomers”.

Event details:

Join astronomer Stephen Mackintosh (aka Highland Astronomy) for an evening of fascinating insights into the cosmos and – weather permitting – a walk under the stars at some of our best stargazing spots.

Grinneabhat, Bragar, Saturday 18 March, 7pm

Gallan Beag, Aird Uig, Sunday 19 March, 7pm

Calanais Stones and Visitor Centre, Monday 20 March, 7pm

Scaladale Centre, Tuesday 21 March, 7pm

Tickets can booked in advance via An Lanntair’s box office. A limited number may be available on the door on the night if the event is not sold out.

The Hebridean Dark Skies Festival runs from 9-21 March 2023 with arts and astronomy events for all the family at An Lanntair and across Lewis and Harris.  Browse the full festival programme here.

The festival is supported by Caledonian MacBrayne and Outer Hebrides Tourism, in partnership with, Calanais Visitor Centre, Stornoway Astronomical Society, Gallan Head Community Trust, Lews Castle College UHI, Cala Hotels, and VisitScotland.

2022 Hebridean Dark Skies Dates

/ Stephen Mackintosh / Leave a comment

Please see confirmed dates for my stargazing tours next February for the 2022 Hebridean Dark Skies Festival. I hope to be hosting a walk and talk under the stars from each location with an indoor fallback in the event of poor weather (so please book with confidence). Ticket links below:

“Astronomer Stephen Mackintosh will host stargazing events at Calanais Standing Stones and Visitor Centre, Scaladale Centre and Grinneabhat (Bragar and Arnol Community Trust) as part of the 2022 Hebridean Dark Skies Festival. #hebdarkskies

Tickets are on sale now – book here:
Calanais, 17 Feb: https://lanntair.com/…/highland-astronomy-at-calanais/
Grinneabhat, 18 Feb: https://lanntair.com/…/highland-astronomy-at-grinneabhat/
Scaladale, 19 Feb: https://lanntair.com/…/highland-astronomy-at-scaladale…/

The Hebridean Dark Skies Festival runs from 11-25 February. Look out for lots more programme announcements in the next few days – and for our printed festival programme, available at An Lanntair and across the island from next week! Full listings at https://lanntair.com/events/category/dark-skies/

#hebdarkskies is supported by CalMac Ferries, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Culture Business Fund Scotland, in partnership with Lews Castle College UHI, Gallan Head Community Trust, Calanais Standing Stones and Visitor Centre and Stornoway Astronomical Society.”

2022 Hebridean Dark Skies Festival

/ Stephen Mackintosh / Leave a comment

A fantastic programme of events is coming together for the 2022 Hebridean Dark Skies Festival. I’m really looking forward to delivering stargazing experiences for the festival again, from various dark locations across the Hebrides. The festival programme is directed by Andrew Eaton-Lewis and is always wonderfully eclectic with The Sky At Night’s Chris Lintott rating it “A highlight of the last few years”.

Art, Music, Cinema and food frequently accompany the astronomy and stargazing components and more than this I think it’s just a great opportunity for a winter break under some of Scotland’s remotest and best dark skies.

You can read about my previous experiences at the festival from my 2020 and 2021 posts. This year I hope to once again present in person astronomy and stargazing from various dark places across the island.

You can read more about the 2022 programme on An Lanntair’s website here.

Hebridean Dark Skies Festival Launch

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Join me tomorrow evening for the launch event of the 2021 Hebridean Dark Skies Festival, where I’ll be offering some tips on what to see in February’s night skies. You can pick up your free tickets to the online stream from An Lanntair here.

I’ll also be featuring in a live discussion about the festival and Scotland’s dark skies this Sunday morning on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland Radio show. Tune in from about 9.30am.

“Hebridean Dark Skies Festival online launch event is tomorrow night at 7pm! If you’ve already booked a free ticket we’ll be sending you a weblink shortly. If you haven’t, reserve your place now for a guided virtual tour of our Lumen exhibition, Highland Astronomy on what to see in the night sky in February, musician Renzo Spiteri on his festival commission, and more.” – An Lanntair