Seeing the stars

5 years ago my wife and I visited Scotland the first two weeks of July.  As nice as it was to have the extended daylight, by the time it was dark enough to view the night sky, we were too pooped to participate!  I was stationed at Keflavik NAS in 1985 and to this day remember the fantastic views.  We want to view the skies but not freeze our bums off!  Is mid-October a good time to enjoy the night sky and stay relatively warm?  Thanks for your input.

Hi Jace,

It's lovely to hear that you and your wife are looking to come and see the "star show" here on the island of Ireland!

There are lots of places from County Donegal down to County Kerry where the light pollution is at a minimum and the stars or even the Northern Lights turn up.

Our climate is temperate so never too hot or cold. We here wouldn't think anything of sitting out in the night sky in October but a warm coat or blanket would certainly help! With clear skies come lower temperatures so early to mid-October would see temperatures 45-57 °F but on a good night, the heavens certainly make up for the cooler temperatures.

There may be a way to see the night sky and stay warm. Finn Lough has some bubble accommodations that would be great to lie on your bed and stare at the stars!

Hi Jace,

There is a magical place, located on the Causeway Coast, called Ballintoy Harbour.  It is known as a Dark Sky Discovery Site and is the perfect place to star gaze on a cloudless night.  The harbour is free from light pollution and has the added kudos of being a Game of Thrones film location with an other-worldly atmosphere.  The location is between the Giant's Causeway to the west, and Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge to the east.  You can easily drive down to the harbour, park, chose your gazing spot on the sand or rocks and look up!

To find out more about the Causeway Coast and Glens region, please take a look at our web site: https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com 

It can definitely turn chilly on October evenings, especially those that have clear skies, so wrapping up warmly is a good idea.

Hope you have a truly memorable trip to Ireland!
Anne

That is where my wife and I need to be!  I will start planning the whole trip around that!  Thank you.

Thank you so much Anne and Martin for your recommendations!