80% of the world’s population live under light polluted skies. What do we lose when we lose sight of the stars? Excessive and improper lighting robs us of our night skies, disrupts our sleep patterns and endangers nocturnal habitats. Saving the Dark explores the need to preserve night skies and what we can do to combat light pollution.

The North York Moors National Park and partners are delighted to announce four exclusive screenings of this thought-provoking film during the Dark Skies Festival 2019, and the Yorkshire Arboretum is proud to be chosen.

The screening will start at 7:30pm for 1 hour, followed by a 1 hour star party hosted by amateur astronomer Richard Darn. Booking is essential.

Watch the trailer here

Prices: £5 adults, £3 children (u16) including a hot drink. Children of all ages are welcome but we feel the subject matter would suit age 11+

THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT

Director Comments:

“Astronomy has been my passion for years. Photographing the night skies has been a way for me to express my passion towards Astronomy. Over the years, it has quite saddened me that we do not care enough about Astronomy or the night skies. Most people questioned whether these stars (in the photos) were real. So, I made a short film Lost in Light showing how light pollution affects the view of the night skies. It was a huge success - featured on National Geographic , made the news in over 40 countries, seen over half a million times, used by NPS, schools and scout clubs for education and outreach and screened at film festivals. It spurred a conversation on Light Pollution, its effects and what we can do to fight it. When I attended the San Francisco Green Film Festival earlier this year, I realized how much people care about Environmental issues. I was inspired to make my own Documentary movie on Astronomy and Light Pollution. I wanted to make a movie on the significance of Astronomy and the night skies, the effects of Light Pollution on Astronomy, human health, wildlife and beyond, what we can do to fight it.” Sriram Murali