DARK SKIES GIGHA

Dark Skies Gigha is a non-profit community group and registered charity (SC051611) based on the Isle of Gigha which aims to promote and facilitate an interest in observing the night sky as well as providing educational experiences through regular events covering all age groups.  The group also encourages islanders and visitors to become aware of the detrimental effects of light pollution on wildlife, humans and the night sky. 

Thanks to the hard work of the Dark Skies Gigha group, the huge expanse of dark sky and minimal light pollution, a site at the north of the island has been named as a Dark Sky Discovery Site by the UK Dark Sky Discovery Partnership. Gigha’s site is Milky Way class, the highest designation, because it is possible to see our galaxy, the Milky Way, very clearly on a dark cloudless night. This award makes the Isle of Gigha one of the top twenty most remote zones in Scotland which have been designated as a Dark Sky Discovery Site in the Milky Way class. With the help of the community the ambition is to achieve international Dark Sky Island status over the next few years.

The group obtained funding to create a Dark Sky Theatre at the Dark Sky Discovery Site at the north of the island which features a night sky interpretation board, benches and stargazing pamphlets for islanders and visitors. In addition, the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust awarded the group funding towards the purchase of community binoculars suitable for stargazing. An all-sky camera project will launch in 2025 enabling access to a 360-degree horizon view of Gigha’s skies online.

As a charity, Dark Skies Gigha attracts funding to organise several regular events including a Love Dark Skies Festival around Valentine’s Day, a Perseids Party meteor shower event in August and an annual Dark Skies Festival in November each year.

Dark Skies Gigha hosts regular astronomy club gatherings and also offers stargazing experiences for groups of 8 or more and Love Dark Skies art, science and culture workshops which can be booked by groups or organisations. 

The group write regular reports which appear in the Gigha Newsletter and the charity also posts stargazing information and details of all their activities on the Dark Skies Gigha Facebook page.  

Stargazing Guide pamphlets are also available here and on the island.

Email: dark.skies.gigha@gmail.com

Facebook: Dark Skies Gigha

Dark Skies Leaflet

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