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Badbury Rings Car Park - National Trust

Badbury Rings Car Park - National Trust

Kingston Lacy, Wimbourne, Dorset, BH21 4DZ

Best time to visit

The car park for this Iron Age hill fort is an officially recognised Dark Sky Discovery Site in the Cranbourne Chase Dark Sky Reserve.

Badbury Rings Car Park - National Trust is a Dark Sky Discovery Site, an officially recognised place where anyone can stargaze. Most such locations have overnight parking (sometimes with a fee); however, many do not allow overnight camping. There may or may not be toilet facilities.

Weather forecast

  • 16/01/23

    1° 1%

  • 16/01/23

    0° 0%

  • 17/01/23

    -1° 4%

  • 17/01/23

    -1° 11%

Weather forecast for Wimborne Minster (3.8 miles away) updated 15/01/23 at 20:00.

Local light pollution

Badbury Rings Car Park - National Trust is estimated to have light pollution levels similar to arural rural location based on data from the VIIRS satellite.

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

Light pollution map of Badbury Rings Car Park - National Trust

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.

Mon 16th Jan

Third Quarter
40% illuminated
Dark from 17:51 to 03:22
Dark for 9h 30m

Tue 17th Jan

Waning Crescent
30% illuminated
Dark from 17:52 to 04:47
Dark for 10h 54m

Wed 18th Jan

Waning Crescent
20% illuminated
Dark from 17:53 to 06:11
Dark for 12h 17m

Thu 19th Jan

Waning Crescent
12% illuminated
Dark from 17:55 to 06:41
Dark for 12h 45m

Fri 20th Jan

Waning Crescent
5% illuminated
Dark from 17:56 to 06:41
Dark for 12h 44m

Sat 21st Jan

New Moon
1% illuminated
Dark from 17:57 to 06:40
Dark for 12h 42m

Sun 22nd Jan

New Moon
0% illuminated
Dark from 17:59 to 06:39
Dark for 12h 39m

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

  • Solent Amateur Astronomers meeting

    Tuesday 17th January 2023 from 19:15pm to 20:15pm

    Oasis Academy, Southampton, SO16 8FA (27.2 miles away)

    More info

  • Fordingbridge Astronomers monthly meeting

    Wednesday 18th January 2023 from 19:30pm to 21:00pm

    The Elm Tree - Ringwood, Ringwood, BH24 3DY (12.6 miles away)

    More info

  • Stargazing at Durlston Astronomy Centre

    Saturday 28th January 2023 from 19:30pm to 21:30pm

    Durlston Astronomy Centre and Observatory, Swanage, BH19 2JL (16.7 miles away)

    More info

  • Wessex Astronomical Society monthly meeting

    Tuesday 7th February 2023 from 00:00am to 21:00pm

    Allendale Centre - Wimborne, Wimborne, BH21 1AS (3.6 miles away)

    More info

  • West Wight Stargazing Club

    Tuesday 7th February 2023 from 19:30pm to 21:30pm

    Fort Victoria Country Park & Planetarium, Yarmouth, PO41 0RR (24.9 miles away)

    More info

Stay and gaze nearby

  • DreamAcres – Cranborne Chase

    Coombe Bissett, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 4LP (15.5 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

    More info