Star Count 2019: Forget sheep, count stars!
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Have you ever tried counting stars in the sky?
Across the country people are taking part in a 'cosmic census'.
It's basically a 'star count' and is happening during the first three weeks of February (Saturday 2 February to Saturday 23 February).
Star Count 2019 is being run by countryside charity the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
Stargazers in both towns and the countryside will be asked to count the number of stars they can see with the naked eye within the constellation of Orion.
A constellation is a groups of stars that forms a certain shape in the sky which has been given a name.
Star counts are not only fun things to do in themselves but also help to form the national picture of the changing state of our night skies.
Orion can only be seen during winter months and it can be found by looking south into the night sky.
It has four corners and a 'three-star belt'.
They want people to count the number of stars inside the rectangle - not including the four corner stars.
Try to do your count when the sky is clear - avoid any haze or clouds if you can.
Wait until after 7pm so the sky is really dark.
Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness before you count.
Don't use a telescope or binoculars. They want to know how many you can see without any help!
The aim is to help create a map of our dark skies.
It's also hoped it will help highlight the issue of light pollution which is caused by things such as street lights, cars and buildings.
Light pollution is caused by things such as street lights, buildings and vehicles.
Artificial - or man-made - light can have an impact on people and nature.
It can prevent people being able to see a starry sky but it can also disrupt wildlife and people's sleep patterns.
The results from the Star Count will be used to create a new map to show how light pollution is affecting our views of the night sky.
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