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00:00Give it a go and you might see something that's going to be amazing.
00:06OK. Oh, wow, OK.
00:08It's the oh, wow moment.
00:10There's an oh, wow moment at every star party.
00:13Oh, you've got it, though. Oh, my goodness.
00:48Well, the sun may have gone down, but we've timed this just right.
00:52Because we're in the North York Moors, at the heart of one of the UK's dark sky reserves.
00:58And at this time of year, it placed centre stage to the dazzling North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales Dark
01:04Skies Festival.
01:05And while everyone else is off to bed, we're here to experience the dark skies in all its glory.
01:12And see nature after dark.
01:14So let's hope the weather's kind and the skies get a little bit clearer.
01:20The North York Moors is one of seven dark sky reserves in the UK, offering some of the finest stargazing.
01:28Everyone is encouraged to keep light pollution low, allowing the night sky to shine and nocturnal wildlife to thrive.
01:37And the Dark Skies Festival offers a unique chance to experience it all.
01:42How long have you been excited about doing the night walk?
01:45Quite a few days.
01:46The days. And what else do you think you might see?
01:49Maybe a hedgehog.
01:51Yeah, that would be fantastic.
01:53So if you want to do that for real, you'll need to turn all the lights off.
01:56Let's go into dark mode.
01:57OK.
02:00It is so really dark and it's actually quite nice, isn't it?
02:04Yeah, it is.
02:04And as the sun rises, Adam's meeting young apprentices used to getting up at the crack of dawn.
02:12Looks like you've got a sweat on, Charlie.
02:13I'm working hard.
02:15He's only 16 years old and he's really putting in a lot of effort.
02:19He's confident.
02:19I can just see how this experience will set him up for life.
02:32As the sun goes down and most of us start thinking about heading to bed, a whole new world is
02:38coming to life as our nocturnal animals begin their night shift.
02:42But too much artificial light can put their hunting, feeding and survival skills at risk, making them vulnerable to predators.
02:53True dark skies are rare, with only a few of us living beneath them.
02:58But at Danby Lodge National Park Centre, one group is working to highlight this issue with night walks during the
03:05Dark Skies Festival.
03:06Led by ReConnect's Outdoor Learning Officer, Jonathan Green, and North York Moors National Park Authority Senior Ecologist, Elspeth Ingleby,
03:16the aim is to reveal the extraordinary world that emerges after dark and engage the community across the moors.
03:25Elspeth, Jonathan, lovely to see you.
03:26Hi there.
03:27It's really important to inspire people that there are actually things that go on when we switch the lights off.
03:32We see so much artificial light now out because we need it in order to be able to see.
03:37But actually a lot of our creatures that are out and about, they're not used to it.
03:41They want it to be completely dark because that's what they rely on.
03:43So they're having to adapt to this new world that we're creating for them.
03:47And what do you hope to achieve from taking the families out tonight?
03:51We're just going to hope that people become inspired to keep the lights off,
03:56to understand that actually unnatural light can have a terrible impact upon the natural world.
04:01and we only really need light exactly where we need it.
04:05As night approaches, so do the families, bringing with them anticipation.
04:12How long have you been excited about doing the night walk?
04:16Quite a few days.
04:17The days? Days of excitement?
04:19Yeah, it's been really looking forward to it.
04:22What do you like about being outdoors?
04:25You can see all different kinds of nocturnal creatures.
04:28And what else do you think you might see?
04:30Maybe a hedgehog?
04:32We could, yeah. That would be fantastic.
04:37Darkness has fallen.
04:40Right then, folks, come on out.
04:42And everybody is issued with red headlamps,
04:45which are kinder to nature as well as humans.
04:49We're not going to use the white light, OK?
04:51The reason for that is that white light can really affect our night vision.
04:56Our pupils contract and it takes a good while for them to go back out again, OK?
05:02Right, if we're all ready to go, let's make a start, shall we?
05:09We're heading into the deep, dark woods of the North York Moors.
05:15So, why have animals evolved to be nocturnal?
05:18Mainly for safety.
05:20They can hide a lot easier when it's dark and it means that they don't get eaten.
05:25However, saying that, a lot of animals have actually evolved nocturnal instincts so that they can go hunting and not
05:31be seen whilst they're hunting as well.
05:32And what proportion of animals are nocturnal?
05:36The majority, really.
05:38So, the vast majority of invertebrates, but also most of our mammals.
05:4270% of our mammals pretty much are nocturnal.
05:44So, actually, most things are coming out just as we're going to bed.
05:47And what's the impact of light pollution on animals?
05:53Well, effectively, it completely disrupts their typical patterns.
05:57So, most of our wildlife is adapted to either be in the dark and, therefore, they'll respond to the moon
06:03when it's out or starlight, but also really adapt to that very high level of darkness.
06:09If we have artificial light, they're going, what is this?
06:13Is it daylight?
06:14Is it the moon?
06:15It completely changes their behaviour patterns.
06:18And darkness is really important for us, too.
06:20If you're exposed to lots of artificial light, it can really affect your health and wellbeing.
06:25So, actually, getting familiar and used to being in darkness again is really important to us as human beings.
06:32Our night-time adventure begins at the woodland floor.
06:37Ooh, this looks very pretty.
06:40Wow, what have we got?
06:41We do, of course, have lots and lots of snowdrops.
06:44And as we all know, flowers are pollinated by insects and we often think of bees doing that, which, of
06:51course, they do and they do an amazing job of it.
06:52But we also get moths and we do get nocturnal insects that pollinate as well.
06:57So, white flowers aren't particularly bright and exciting to a bee during the daytime, but they do stand out really,
07:03really well at night.
07:04So, it's probably going to have flies and other things all coming in and starting to pollinate these species.
07:12Another important feature of the forest floor is the dead wood left behind from fallen trees.
07:19Just because this tree's died doesn't mean it's dead.
07:23Actually, there's a huge amount of life in here.
07:25It's absolutely thriving like a skyscraper of insects and bugs and fungi and other things.
07:33And the woodlice, this is their job, is actually to recycle this entire log and they'll eat it all up.
07:39And they're one of the few creatures that can actually do it.
07:42Well, these are our natural recyclers.
07:44If it wasn't those little creatures doing this job, logs would sit here for a very, very long time before
07:49they're biodegraded.
07:50They would also not necessarily go straight back into the soil.
07:54The nutrients wouldn't be recycled.
07:56And they are food for lots of other animals as well.
07:59So, they are food for certain types of spiders and beetles.
08:05And are they affected by extra light pollution?
08:08Not that the light harms them in any way or makes them more vulnerable to predation, but because they avoid
08:13it, they just won't come out because they think it's daytime.
08:16And so, they'll stay hidden away and maybe not utilising opportunities to forage and feed.
08:22So, they won't grow so quickly.
08:23So, we can make sure we're keeping artificial light away from shining on logs and trees and things like that.
08:28That'll help all of these animals to go about their normal night-to-night activity without any fear.
08:36Our woodlands are also the perfect hunting grounds for one of the greatest predators of the night sky, the barn
08:43owl.
08:44Glad we've got the torches.
08:47Right then, guys, come and gather round over here.
08:50There's a little bit of a flat area.
08:51Tony found an owl pellet.
08:53Once an owl's had his dinner of mice or voles or shrews or even small birds, they gobble them up.
09:02But they can't digest the fur, the hair and the feathers or the bones.
09:08So, just like a cat spits out a hairball, an owl spits out a pellet.
09:14And it's not just owls that do it as well.
09:15Lots of birds of prey do it.
09:17You can see all of these teeny tiny animal bones.
09:21So, that's a little jaw bone from a little mouse or from a little vole.
09:26We know it's from a rodent, though, because these yellow teeth at the front, they don't stop growing.
09:30They continue to grow over and over again.
09:32We sometimes find little shrew bones, little shrew jaws, and they've got lots and lots of little teeth.
09:38Yesterday, I saw a barn owl on the end of the street when it was coming over and the hairdressers.
09:44Oh, wow, you're so lucky.
09:48Isn't it amazing when you see a barn owl, though?
09:50They're so magical, aren't they? Absolutely beautiful.
09:53How can we better look after our nocturnal animals?
09:56I think that as long as we're providing space for nature and making sure there's loads of wild bits of
10:02our garden
10:03and wild bits of the environment so that they can have plenty of food to eat and places to hunt
10:08and we're not filling the environment with the unnatural light, I think that's going to be a start.
10:14Do you reckon we can find a way to get on together?
10:16Oh, I think that we can. What do you guys think?
10:18Yay!
10:33Across the North York moors, another dark skies festival hotspot is Sutton Bank.
10:39Here, the teams are working together to protect this rare sight by changing just one thing.
10:45Lights.
10:47We've all done it. Looked up to the stars on a clear night.
10:50It's something that connects us all, but light pollution is threatening to take that away from us.
11:00Mike Houghton is the Dark Skies project lead.
11:03He's got his work cut out for him, tackling light pollution one bulb at a time.
11:11So where are we right now?
11:13So we're at the southern edge of the North York moors National Park, International Dark Sky Reserve,
11:18and we're looking west towards Firsk, towards the Yorkshire Dales. It's a fantastic view during the day, but at night,
11:24as we're looking at it now, we're starting to see quite a lot of light pollution.
11:27Yeah.
11:27Which totally changes the landscape and is quite worrying for us.
11:30Who does light pollution affect?
11:31Light pollution affects everybody and every living thing, from pollinators, to bats, to birds, right the way at the food
11:37chain.
11:38What are the biggest causes of this light pollution?
11:40Well, first of all, we're really high up. If we can see light from here, shining at us, then it's
11:45really poorly angled light, creating sky glow, glare, light spill.
11:49Second, the colour temperature of the light. Blue-white LED light is the light that's most harmful to humans and
11:55to wildlife, because it mimics daylight.
11:57And it affects our natural sleep-wake cycles, what we call our circadian rhythms.
12:02And what if we don't change the way that we're doing things? What will that look like in, say, 10
12:09years' time?
12:10Places like Dark Sky Reserves, they're the only places you can go to enjoy a truly dark sky. Those precious
12:16areas are getting more precious and rarer.
12:19A child born today, who can see 250 stars from where they live, at the current rate of increase in
12:26light pollution, will only see 100 stars by the time they're 18.
12:29That's really sad, because I can remember a child being brought up in, you know, the middle of nowhere in
12:34the Scottish borders, going out and just seeing a beautiful, clear sky, and obviously clearly quite privileged to be able
12:40to see that.
12:41Yeah, and that's what people come to national parks for, you know, to experience that and that jaw-dropping wow
12:46moment.
12:47So how do you monitor the skies?
12:48So we have satellite imagery, and then we've got a bunch of intrepid volunteers who go out at wee small
12:53hours of the morning, taking those readings.
12:57Mike is taking me to Sutton Bank Star Observation Hub to meet volunteers David and Nigel, who work through the
13:04night to collect this data.
13:06So, tell me a little bit about what you guys do. Why do you go out in the wee small
13:10hours, freezing cold?
13:12It's the stars.
13:13Yeah?
13:13They just draw you out. It's just something really special. It's so awe-inspiring.
13:18When you see the whole of the night sky above you, and the Milky Way, and wildlife as well, you
13:23know, I park up in the middle of the woods sometimes,
13:26and deer will just walk past the car, and you know, you'll get out and you'll hear the owls screeching.
13:30It's just a different world, you know, it's one that most people don't see, but it's so important that we
13:35keep it and improve it.
13:36Yeah, so how are you doing that?
13:38Well, we have to go out and survey the whole of the park with these sky quality meters.
13:42Okay.
13:43To do that for real, we'll need to turn all the lights off.
13:45Let's go into dark mode.
13:47Okay.
13:48The camera crew switched to using an infrared night camera to film us in the darkness.
13:54So I just have to see it in the dark and take it, and then just point it up to
13:59the sky.
13:59Point it straight up.
14:00So it's really, really sensitive.
14:02It'll pick up any amount of light, so that's why we need to be in really dark conditions to get
14:06these readings.
14:07So I've got 20.3, is that good?
14:09We're normally hoping for 21.2 or above as an international dark sky reserve, but we've got fairly low cloud
14:16today.
14:16We can see the odd car coming past.
14:18We can see a little bit of sky glow over there.
14:21It is so really dark, and it's actually quite nice, isn't it?
14:24Yeah, it is.
14:25This data is then combined with satellite information to form an accurate light pollution map of the UK.
14:31Where you see the yellow and even the red areas is the very worst light pollution.
14:37What we don't want is Scarborough and Whitby light pollution to get worse, or along the A170 at the bottom.
14:42It will, in effect, shrink the dark skies area of the national park.
14:46So how are you helping some of these areas become dark sky areas?
14:50So we do a lot of work with communities within the North York Moores National Park, encouraging them to think
14:56about how they use their light.
14:57So the mantra is only like what you need, when you need it, and at a level that's suitable to
15:02that need.
15:03The problem isn't light itself, it's how we use it.
15:07Brighter doesn't always mean better.
15:10So this is an example of an early LED light.
15:13You can see how bright that is, how blue-white it is.
15:16We see it in lots of farms.
15:17It's not shielded.
15:18It doesn't have any control over the light distribution.
15:21It's just indiscriminate.
15:22Best thing you can do is just tilt it down, and then switch it off when you don't need it.
15:26But it's still not the right colour temperature.
15:28If we then look at a dark sky-friendly light...
15:31Oh yeah, it's so much warmer, isn't it?
15:33But it's also down.
15:34Yeah.
15:34There's no light going above the horizontal there.
15:36I can feel the difference in my eyes.
15:39Like the last one, you could feel almost that pain of like, oh, that's really bright.
15:42We all need light as humans.
15:43It's just using that light sensitively and responsibly.
15:49Some of the brightest places in rural Britain aren't just villages or towns.
15:53They can also be farms.
15:56In nearby Bransdale, some hill farmers have day jobs to help make ends meet,
16:02before tending to their livestock at night.
16:05So Mike and his team are hoping to help farmers Kat and Adrian Dousland change how they light their land.
16:13The lights that are on are quite bright, and I think given that we do quite a bit of farming
16:19at night,
16:19especially through winter and through lambing season, the lights are on for a longer stock period.
16:23We have a few bats in the sheds and owls, and I think the glare naturally going across actually will
16:29be affecting the wildlife that we have on the farm as well.
16:32And hopefully if we get the lighting right, it supports that, but it allows you to operate and do what
16:36you need to do at night.
16:37We'll want to encourage them.
16:38We don't want to sort of scare them off.
16:40Where would you like to start?
16:41Well, I think we'll start at the horse area.
16:46So we're bringing the shires in as late as possible to wash their legs off, keen to sort of try
16:52and get something that will pinpoint to the ground,
16:54so we can actually sort of see what we're washing off.
16:57So rather than lots of glare really high up, does that give you the sort of light that you're looking
17:03for?
17:03Yeah, a lot better. There's no shadow. It's fixed on where we're looking.
17:07It's in the working area, isn't it?
17:08Yeah, where we need to be. So yeah, that's a good starting point, definitely.
17:14What is that light trying to do for you?
17:16It's basically lighting this area for us to be backwards and forwards, carrying feed, moving livestock.
17:23You think it lit up because it's light, but actually you get that glare, so when you're walking, you're actually
17:27looking at the ground
17:28because you can't see in front of you.
17:34Straight away, that's a lot more powerful.
17:35You know, you can see that warm white, it's still what we class as a dark sky friendly light
17:40because you've got no light going above the horizontal.
17:43What are your thoughts now on that light?
17:44I mean, definitely a lot more coverage over the yard.
17:46Yeah, it's definitely a lot better.
17:48So we'll maybe remove the real glaring one that was there, so we can get it right for the yard
17:52and we can get it right inside and we've cracked it.
17:54It could very well work though, yeah.
17:56You can see the benefits all around, can't you, and how it's going to affect obviously us working, livestock and
18:02the environment.
18:06Even in our most remote landscapes, like the North York Moors, darkness can't be taken for granted.
18:13But if all goes to plan, Mike hopes that dark sky friendly lighting will be rolled out across the country,
18:20helping to reduce light pollution and support local wildlife.
18:34As farm lights are turned off for the night, the day is just beginning for Adam, who's at Craven Cattle
18:40Mart in Skupton.
18:41While the sun is just rising over the Yorkshire moors, many people at home will be reaching for their first
18:48cuppa.
18:49But here, livestock lorries and trailers are arriving, stock is being unloaded and work is well underway.
18:59Craven Cattle Mart has a long trading history dating back 130 years,
19:04a true cornerstone of rural life here in North Yorkshire.
19:08Today, alongside the auctioneers and farmers, a new generation is learning the trade
19:14and soaking up everything this important environment can teach them about farming and working life.
19:24Rebecca, Charlie, Joe and Tom are general farm worker apprentices from Craven College.
19:35Spending two days a week here, putting in a full shift to gain hands-on experience.
19:42With their day starting long before any college lectures begin.
19:47Morning, Charlie. Morning.
19:49I understand you're one of the new apprentices.
19:51I am indeed.
19:52So what are you doing here, just dusting up the pens?
19:53Just dusting up the pens.
19:54It's just to keep the animals clean as they come in.
19:57For you, getting up early in the morning, is that a problem?
20:00No.
20:00Because, you know, it's an early start, isn't it?
20:01No bother, straight out of bed, eh?
20:03Are you?
20:03Always.
20:04Now, are you plenty of 16-year-olds still alive with a head on the pillow?
20:07There will be, there will be.
20:08You should always get up and be raring to go.
20:10Gee, you've got to be passionate about what you do.
20:12Yeah.
20:12So you from a farming background?
20:14No, not one bit. None of my family are farmers at all.
20:16So what got you into it?
20:18You just see all these people doing little baling and lambing sheep,
20:21and you just see all the chapters driving about,
20:23and I thought, just wanted to give it a go and see what happens.
20:27And what's the dream? What's the goal?
20:28Have a nice big farm in Scotland, eh?
20:31Wow, you've got big dreams.
20:32No, you've got to. You've got to dream big when you're in this game.
20:34What would you have, sheep or cattle?
20:35Cattle, by a mile.
20:37Would you?
20:37Maybe get some big highland cattle.
20:39No, no, some nice beef angus cattle.
20:41Would you?
20:41Proper meat cows.
20:43They have nice, good, strong calves.
20:44You can fatten them well, and they're just nice and tidy to work with.
20:47Yeah, sure.
20:48There's lots of lovely sheep running off the trailer there.
20:50Why don't you like sheep?
20:52They're just not the easiest things to work with.
20:54Lambing when it's snowing and you've got to catch them,
20:56they're not just the nicest things.
20:58You'd much prefer to stick with cattle.
20:59By a mile, by a mile.
21:01I'm a sheep man, you see.
21:02No, I wouldn't go near him if I had to.
21:06Well, there's plenty more sheep that need to come in off the docks today.
21:11Go on, lads.
21:12Go on, lads.
21:15Do you count in ones or twos?
21:16I count in twos.
21:17Yeah, yeah.
21:19For those with big farming dreams like Tom,
21:23the market isn't a place to count sheep to fall asleep.
21:27Go on, lads.
21:29It's a place to count the learning opportunity every shift brings.
21:34So how long have you been doing this then, Tom?
21:36About 18 months, I think.
21:38And in your time here, have you had any mess-ups?
21:40You've got things wrong?
21:41There's definitely been a few notable ones.
21:43I remember one time we had a cow out in the car park.
21:45Oh, did you?
21:46That's definitely not our best moment,
21:48but working here, you learn.
21:50There's all the things, so you learn how to avoid it.
21:53And any proud moments?
21:54Oh, plenty.
21:55Like selling his own land and stuff.
21:57I mean, my grandad fetches all of them here.
21:59He's a sheep farmer.
22:00So that's always a great feeling to go through the ring with our own stock.
22:04You're obviously in college as well,
22:06but what sort of practical skills have you learned here?
22:09Well, when I first came, I would admit I was fairly shy.
22:13You know, you didn't want to mess up in front of all these people
22:14because they all know my family.
22:16And it's a lot of responsibility, really.
22:18So I've definitely come round from when I started.
22:20So you've really matured and grown into yourself?
22:21I feel so, yeah.
22:24With fewer young people finding a way into farming and rural jobs,
22:28Craven Cattlemart joined forces with a local college in 2023
22:32to open a new type of apprenticeship scheme.
22:35And tutor Graham Taylor sees the difference it's making every day.
22:40With the apprentices, how often are they in college or out at work?
22:43They come into college once a fortnight.
22:45OK.
22:45And then the rest of the time they're on farm placements.
22:48And in the market environment,
22:49what sort of skills are they learning that they wouldn't out on the farm?
22:52Well, I'd say, like, definitely animal welfare.
22:55They learn a little bit about farm records
22:57because they have to collect licences.
22:58I'd say the biggest thing, I think,
23:00is the communication and working alongside other people.
23:03Because often they could be in a farming environment
23:05with just one employer and maybe nobody else.
23:11Today's auctions include ewes with lambs at foot,
23:16rearing calves and prime sheep.
23:21Here we go.
23:22Holding you up.
23:22Go on then, lambs.
23:25It's Rebecca's job to make sure every lot is present and correct
23:28before entering the sale ring.
23:31I mean, it's just, like, a chain of animals running past
23:35and you're keeping an eye on them all.
23:36Yeah.
23:37So what have you got there?
23:38It's a list of everyone that's come in today,
23:41how many they've got
23:42and if they've got any, like, sorting preferences
23:45or anything that they want doing.
23:46There's quite a few different breeds coming through.
23:48Yeah, we have a lot of variety.
23:50We have a lot of mules
23:52and got a lot of scotty black faces, some weeks and others.
23:55Some good quality animals.
23:57Yeah.
23:58You can see that a lot of people take pride in their animals.
24:02Yeah, sure.
24:12Over here, these lambs are absolutely tremendous,
24:15incredible conformation.
24:17They look like Beltec's Texel crosses
24:20with great big back ends and big thick backs.
24:24They'd probably weigh 50, 55 kilos
24:27and sell extremely well, I expect, maybe 160 quid.
24:34As one of Northern England's busiest markets,
24:37handling more than a quarter of a million livestock each year,
24:41apprentices quickly learn what quality looks like
24:45and how to group sheep into sale lots ready to go under the hammer.
24:51How are you selecting them, just on size?
24:53Just on, sort of, size and shaping the meat quantity more than anything.
24:57Yeah.
24:58I want the ones with the best meat, with me.
25:00And that's because they'll be put into separate pens for the buyers.
25:04When we're selling to make it fairest on the farmer and the buyer.
25:06Yeah.
25:07Certainly learn your stock.
25:08That's just another skill to have, isn't it there?
25:10Yeah.
25:11One, seventy, five, a little bit, and seventy for seventy.
25:12One, seventy, three, one, two, seventy, two, three, four, seventy, four, six, seven, six, eight.
25:18From up here, you can see why teamwork and timing is so important.
25:24Behind the scenes, the apprentices are getting their livestock in with care and speed.
25:29And over there, Ted, the auctioneer, is driving the charts.
25:34And of course, for the farmer, the stakes are real.
25:37Their money's on the line, so it's important to get it right.
25:40One, forty-eight, three, four, eight, four, eight, four, eight, four, eight, four, eight, four, eight, four, eight, four, eight,
25:45four, eight, four, eight.
25:47Ted, it's pretty fast-paced, isn't it?
25:49Oh, Mark, it is.
25:50We can have 150 to 200 vendors turning up the sheep.
25:54So, you know, there's a lot of pressure on these young'uns to keep the sheep coming at the auctioneer,
25:58keep the sheep going out of the ring and putting the right pens.
26:00So the work of the apprentices is fairly critical to what you're doing?
26:03It is.
26:04They're customer-facing.
26:05You know, they are the first point of contact when a farmer turns up on the dock in the morning.
26:09Yeah, how many you got in?
26:10Only ten.
26:14Joe.
26:15So I just saw you talking to the farmer just now.
26:18Yeah.
26:19Is that important that you can meet farmers while you're out here working?
26:21Yeah, it is, yeah.
26:22Get your name out there.
26:24And is it likely that someone like that would give you work in the future?
26:27Yeah, who I'm talking to does give me work.
26:31Last year, Joe's big brother Harvey, along with fellow apprentice Ellen, became the very first to graduate from the programme
26:38and continued into employment across the land-based sector.
26:41Ellen, I don't want to disturb you too much because you're very busy, but what are you doing here?
26:45What's your job?
26:45So basically, this reads all the individual tags that all the sheep have.
26:49They've all got their own individual numbers.
26:51So as they run up, they scan the lamb and the mum and then it all goes onto the system.
26:56How hard has it been finding work as a young woman in farming?
26:59It's difficult, to be fair, because a lot of people, it's always still the big thing around, oh, it's a
27:04man's world.
27:05Especially if you come from a non-farming background and want to get into it.
27:08From working here, it helps a lot because I've met people here that have gone on to help me find
27:14other jobs or work for them.
27:16So I currently work in three different farms, one being dairy, one sheep and then one cattle and sheep as
27:21well and calf rearing as well.
27:23It's different, something different every day.
27:25It's never the same thing that goes on.
27:27You love it?
27:28I love it.
27:29I wouldn't change it for the world.
27:32I can really see how the apprenticeship here is a gateway to the world of proper work.
27:38Gaining real experience and practical skills.
27:42Exactly what Charlie's doing.
27:45So where would these calves have come from then, Charlie?
27:48Come from any big dairy farms that are taking the cows off the calves and then some of these big
27:52buyers will buy them and fatten them and put them in stock sales.
27:55They're just pretty much the middle man.
28:01Looks like you've got a sweat on, Charlie.
28:03I'm working hard.
28:04He's only 16 years old and he's really putting in a lot of effort.
28:08Completely gets the market system.
28:10He's confident.
28:10And I can just see how this experience will set him up for life.
28:15From the first trailer at dawn to the final strike of the gavel...
28:21This is how experience is built, one early start at a time.
28:27And in farming, there are plenty of those to go around.
28:37As the gates of the livestock market close, I'm over in the east of the county to see how our
28:43nocturnal wildlife cope when light pollution hits.
28:53Once darkness protected our countryside, but as our nights grow brighter, the effects on our wildlife means that it's being
29:02pushed into unfamiliar and often dangerous territory.
29:06And here at Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary, those changes are showing up at the door.
29:12Founder Alexandra Smith has spent more than 16 years caring for injured wildlife and often sees first-hand how our
29:21brighter night skies can affect them.
29:24Who do we have here, Alex?
29:26Hello.
29:26So, this is one of our barn owl patients we have in at the moment.
29:30He was hunting alongside a busy road and was hit at night.
29:34And how is he doing? What's the prognosis?
29:37He's doing OK. He's had his wings strapped for a couple of weeks now.
29:40And we're going to be removing the strappings today and redoing it and see how that wing is peeling.
29:46Road traffic accidents we see quite commonly with birds of prey, owls in particular.
29:50And is that due to light pollution or...?
29:53Yeah, we found that a lot of birds of prey, like owls, for example, are doing more hunting in areas
30:00where there is light pollution, so roadsides and verges.
30:04And the reason for that is their prey is more attracted to these areas because the vegetation and the insects
30:11the prey eat are attracted to these areas.
30:13Road verges are well lit and warmer, and natural light attracts insects, which will attract the prey.
30:19So, that's where the owls will follow.
30:22So, they end up hunting in areas not suitable, and this is what leads them into danger, and this is
30:27how they end up getting struck by cars.
30:30So, I've just took that old strapping off, and I just want to see how that wing is feeling.
30:34What do you think? How's it looking?
30:36It's not bad. It's pretty good, actually.
30:39It is going to need a re-strap, which I'll do for him, and then I'll pop him back in
30:43there. He'll have had enough.
30:45Hopefully, in a couple more weeks, I'll be able to move him out to our Barnau flight, and so he
30:48can start practising and exercising that wing.
30:51So, it's a process. There's quite a few steps to take before they're fit enough to go back out.
30:55And how long would that roughly take for this little one?
30:58Yeah. On average, on average, each wildlife casualty is here maybe about a month before they're able to be released.
31:05So, it's, you know, when we're taking in around 3,000 a year, that's...
31:09Oh, goodness.
31:10...that you need a lot of space.
31:11The sanctuary currently houses more than 300 injured animals, including one of the UK's most vulnerable nocturnal creatures.
31:22So, we are inside our small mammals' cabin, which is used mostly for our hedgehogs.
31:27Every single day, all these hedgehogs are cleaned out daily.
31:31So, a number of our volunteers have already been in and done most of these hedgehogs.
31:34We've still got just a few to do in this cabin.
31:36These hedgehogs only get handled during cleaning and when we need to get their cages topped up with fresh food
31:43and water,
31:43and if they're being assessed for any of their injuries.
31:45When you reach in, just use your hands to cup around the hedgehog and lift him up into a ball,
31:50and he will, he should be, um, he should be compliant.
31:55He knows what he's doing.
31:57Oh, my goodness.
31:59Nice and firm, round.
32:01Hi, little one.
32:03That's it.
32:03Rolled into a ball, and then we want to move quickly to the box there.
32:08Perfect.
32:09Lovely.
32:10And then we'll pop him down in the box.
32:13Lovely.
32:13So, clean box for him, and, um, he can be in there whilst I'm cleaning out his cage.
32:22Cleaning out of the hedgehogs is fairly straightforward.
32:25It's just quite time-consuming, because we've got about 30 hedgehogs here at the moment, so it does take up
32:30quite a big chunk of the day.
32:32Is that an average number, or is that quite high?
32:34Um, it's actually low.
32:36I mean, we all know the hedgehog is a declining species in the UK and struggling.
32:40There's a number of reasons why the hedgehog population is declining.
32:42Habitat loss is certainly a really big one.
32:46With habitat loss, it's brought more housing, which brings all its own hazards and difficulties for hedgehogs, light pollution included.
32:55And is there anything we can do in the spaces that we inhabit, whether that's town, country, to look after
33:00these little ones a bit more?
33:01If we're considering light pollution specifically, something as simple as just making sure your gardens are nice and dark at
33:08night.
33:08Turn your garden lights off.
33:10Not just for hedgehogs, but animals like bats as well.
33:13Little changes like that can have a really big impact.
33:16This one's having a really good explore.
33:18Yes, I think he's probably ready to go back in and get back into that nest.
33:21So it's just confidently and quickly.
33:24There we go.
33:25OK.
33:26He's got a firm grip around his body.
33:27Perfect.
33:28Lovely.
33:31And you're back.
33:32There we go.
33:34It's not just small animals in the sanctuary's care.
33:37Alex is also looking after two roe deer, one who was affected by artificial lights.
33:45So what have we got here?
33:47So this is Gino and Buck, our two young deer that are going to be released this evening.
33:55And how did they end up here?
33:56Gino, she was found as a collapsed newborn fawn, very dehydrated in a really poor way.
34:04It's very touch and go in the beginning.
34:06And Buck came in just a little bit later as a fawn that got hit by a car, dusk time.
34:12And is that a common injury for deers that end up with you here?
34:16Very common.
34:17Deer are often quite active at night, at dusk, at dawn.
34:21Traffic can be quite confusing to them.
34:24Artificial lighting and traffic lights, bright lights, can be confusing and dazzling to them.
34:30So we do see a lot of traffic accidents coming here.
34:33Unfortunately for many deer, it isn't a good ending, which is what makes cases like Buck even more successful and
34:42happy.
34:42Because it's lovely to see the ones that do make it through.
34:45So what's the plan for them today, Alex?
34:47So they're ready to go.
34:48And we've got our release site ready and crates ready and they're very fit, healthy deer.
34:54What does it take to get these two back into their natural habitat?
34:58There's a small team of us that will be going in with blankets.
35:01We're going to be trying to get them covered over, keep them calm, get them crated up,
35:06hopefully swiftly and smoothly to keep them as stress-free as possible.
35:12Dusk is approaching, which is the deer's most active time of day.
35:16It's crucial they're caught and released during this time to help them settle in to their new surroundings.
35:23I'm sorry, darling. You're going to love it, though, I promise.
35:27Nice and quick, well done.
35:29Yeah, cover the whole crate.
35:37With Gino and Buck safely caught, the race is on to get them to their new home before nightfall.
35:44All right.
35:53Over the past 50 years, deer numbers have risen sharply.
35:58That means releasing them back into the wild has to be agreed with the landowner,
36:03as many estates actively manage their deer populations.
36:08Last year, an estimated 350,000 deer were culled across the UK.
36:14So it's vital that Gino and Buck are released somewhere they won't add pressure to the local herd.
36:25They're not light, are they?
36:27No, they're not.
36:28And there's two of them in here, so...
36:32Well, you definitely wouldn't want to do this solo, would you?
36:34No.
36:35Team effort.
36:37Just here, do you think?
36:38Yeah.
36:38Okay.
36:39Right.
36:39Okay.
36:40I'm just going to check in front.
36:42Yeah.
36:43I'm going to just lift that up.
36:45I'm ready.
36:48There you go.
36:50Oh.
37:09But you can see they're just having a good look at their new landscape.
37:18And considering what they've just been through.
37:22Come on, Buck.
37:26They're very relaxed.
37:33I think someone's settling in quite nicely to their new home.
37:37Should probably leave them to it.
37:40As sometimes happens with rehabilitated animals,
37:44these two found themselves drawn back to the sanctuary.
37:48So instead, Alex is lining up a move to a wildlife park,
37:52where they'll join an established herd,
37:54with more room to roam and plenty of new friends.
38:04As the sun goes down,
38:06the lights of villages around the North York moors come on.
38:09But for some villages, the lights are different than others.
38:14Honby is one of the first dark skies villages in the UK,
38:18where locals have installed more than 80 night sky-friendly lights.
38:23By day, this village is a popular spot with photographers.
38:26But it's after dark that it really comes to life.
38:31I'm on my way to meet a local photographer
38:34who relies on these dark skies to capture some incredible sights.
38:40It's skies like these that draw people here each year
38:44for the North York Moors Dark Skies Festival
38:47and inspire photographers like local Brinton Darnell to capture them.
38:56So we're here in a dark sky area, which is so beautiful.
39:00It's a beautiful church and graveyard surroundings.
39:03Do you find it quite peaceful being here, taking photos?
39:05To begin with, it was quite scary.
39:07Yeah, I can imagine that as well.
39:08Yeah, I remember when I first started,
39:10there was one night I didn't even dare get out of the car.
39:12And slowly I just became less scared of the dark.
39:15So how did you get into photography?
39:16One of my best friends sold me his SLR camera.
39:21I used to practice in the backyard at my parents' house.
39:24I didn't even know how a camera worked
39:25and I just jumped straight in the deep end.
39:27It's just so rewarding.
39:28If you've got a crystal clear night,
39:30sometimes you might only get one night a month.
39:32I usually just pick the brightest star in the sky.
39:35Like, sometimes it's even a planet.
39:37And just sit in the dark path for an hour
39:39and just let your eyes adjust.
39:41Now we're in, you've got eyes like an owl.
39:43You do just naturally adapt to it.
39:45It just takes time.
39:46You've just learnt over time to see in the dark.
39:48Yeah, just patience.
39:49What would be, like, the perfect night for you?
39:51Just dramatic conditions, really.
39:53I mean, I think probably one of my best memories
39:55was on the beach with a couple of friends.
39:57It was a Gemini's meteor shower
39:58and this bright green fire bulb
40:01basically just lit the whole sky up behind the clouds.
40:03And my friends actually ducked.
40:05Really?
40:05Because it was that intense.
40:07So what's your involvement with the Dark Sky Festival?
40:10I think it all started back in 2018
40:11when I ended the competition and won it.
40:14With a photo of Whitby Lighthouse.
40:16Just catapulted from there,
40:17I got asked to show pieces
40:19in the Inspired by a Gallery at Danby.
40:21And then I got into doing time-lapse and video
40:24and I did a time-lapse of Orion floating over the owl
40:28in Hornby Village.
40:29Oh, wow.
40:29And I just caught a bit of sky glow and a meteor.
40:33What does it mean to you to be involved in the festival?
40:36It gives me incentive to keep doing it, really.
40:38It's quite hard to motivate yourself sometimes
40:40to get out there when you're tired
40:42from physical work all day.
40:44But it's nice to be appreciated,
40:45the work to be appreciated.
40:46So if people are wanting to get a shot,
40:48what would be your top tips for them?
40:50I'd spend more on a tripod than I would on a camera.
40:53You don't want the camera to move.
40:55And I would sort of advise just using a short timer
40:58when you hit that button
40:59because you can cause a shake on the camera
41:01just from pressing it.
41:02Lens warmers are often needed,
41:05especially from doing like a sort of four or five-hour time lapse.
41:08It's not worse than like a lens slowly steaming up
41:10and you're not knowing about it
41:11and ruining the whole night's work.
41:13The less light pollution
41:14and the more you can capture from the sky.
41:17So it's pretty cloudy conditions tonight.
41:20There's no stars in the sky.
41:22Is it good to take photos like this?
41:23It's not ideal,
41:24but I suppose you have to treat each situation as it is
41:27and work with what you've got.
41:28So, you know, nights like tonight,
41:29you could do some super long exposures
41:31and get cloud movement.
41:34So you're going to teach me how to be a photographer?
41:36Yeah, I think you've got to look at takes.
41:40This is my first time.
41:42So I'd always get the aperture as wide open as you can.
41:44And what does that change?
41:45It just changes the amount of light that the lens is allowing in.
41:49Turn the focus until you've got, you know, pin-sharp stars.
41:52Okay.
41:52Go and have a go.
41:53Just turn it.
41:56See, I think that's sharp, but I bet it's not.
41:58That looks good to me.
41:59Yeah?
41:59Yeah.
42:00All right, we'll lock that in place.
42:02Just press down.
42:03Just like one push?
42:04Yeah, yeah, push it right in.
42:07And then when you hear that click, it means it's finished.
42:10It's done it.
42:10That exposure is four seconds long.
42:13Look at that.
42:14That looks actually not bad for a beginner.
42:17I think it's pretty good.
42:18It's kind of like a bit haunting, isn't it?
42:19It is, yeah.
42:20I mean, the foreground's just spot on.
42:23Do you think this will win an award?
42:24Just maybe.
42:32Well, cloudy conditions here tonight means not ideal for stargazing.
42:36But what does the weather hold for us all in the week to come?
42:39Here's your Countryfile forecast.
42:49Hello.
42:50Many of us have enjoyed some warm spring weather over the last week,
42:54and you'll be wondering if you've got more of the same in the week ahead.
42:57Not so much, as we'll see in just a moment.
42:59Today, though, has been decent.
43:00There's some cloud working in across England and Wales,
43:02but plenty of sunshine initially in the morning.
43:06Now, last week, we set the highest temperature of the year so far
43:09in all four home nations,
43:10but these temperatures, not that remarkable.
43:13They're still around three or four degrees away
43:14from the all-time March record, as toasty as they were.
43:18Now, overnight tonight, we've got a weak weather front
43:20that's pushing its way southwards and eastwards,
43:22bringing a lump of cloud, an odd spot of rain from that as it clears through.
43:25Could see a few fog patches towards south-east England,
43:28but some clearer skies will follow to Scotland,
43:31Northern Ireland, Northern England,
43:32and here is going to be a cold night
43:34with some patches of frost developing in rural areas.
43:37Now, the reason the weather's been fine over recent days
43:39is down to the Azores' high pressure,
43:41and that's been pushing its way into our shores.
43:44It's going to be with us for England and Wales again on Monday,
43:46bringing more fine weather.
43:48In fact, I think for most of us, it'll get off to a bright start.
43:51Quite chilly for Scotland and Northern Ireland,
43:53and here we'll see the cloud thicken through the day.
43:56Ultimately, rain and some strong winds
43:57will push into the northwest of Scotland by the end of the day.
44:00The mildest weather will be across England and Wales,
44:03with temperatures in the warmest spots,
44:05climbing up to about 16 Celsius.
44:07But feeling cooler, I think, in Scotland,
44:09given that cold start to the day
44:10and then the cloud coming over the top of that cold air.
44:13Now, heading into the middle part of the week,
44:16this low pressure well to the north of the UK
44:18pushes towards Norway.
44:19Why am I telling you about that?
44:21Well, once that's moved towards Norway,
44:23it will send a surge of cold air southwards
44:26right across the whole of the UK,
44:28dumping our temperatures.
44:29Now, that said, Tuesday will still be quite mild
44:31across the far south of England and Wales.
44:33We've got this weather front across central portions,
44:36bringing heavy rain, quite squally winds with that.
44:38And then behind that, we'll see sunshine
44:40and blustery showers for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
44:43The winds could be strong enough
44:44to bring some localised disruption.
44:45You might see some speed restrictions
44:47on the Seven Crossing, for example,
44:49mild in the south,
44:50but turning colder through the day in the north.
44:52And colder still into Wednesday,
44:54cold enough for some hill snow to return to Scotland.
44:56Quite high up in the mountains, above 300 metres elevation,
44:59you might see several centimetres of snow building up.
45:02At lower elevations, you're more likely to see
45:04sleet showers or hailstorms.
45:07I think they're going to be quite widespread.
45:08Now, there will be some strong gusty winds
45:10that will really knock the edge off those temperatures.
45:12And the temperatures will be dropping below average
45:15for the time of year.
45:16So it's going to feel a lot colder than it has done.
45:18I suppose in the sunshine, it will still feel OK.
45:20There's a bit of warmth, of course,
45:21in the sun at this time of the year.
45:23Now, heading into Thursday,
45:25the strongest winds will be feeding down the North Sea.
45:27That means for northern and eastern Scotland,
45:30down the eastern coast of England,
45:31that's where you're most likely to come across showers.
45:33And again, plenty of those showers will have hail,
45:36maybe a little bit of sleet in.
45:38Sunshine towards the southwest,
45:40it turns cloudier later in the day
45:42for West Scotland and Northern Ireland as well.
45:44It will be another chilly day for March.
45:47We end the week with further changes in our weather patterns.
45:50As this next area of low pressure moves in off the Atlantic,
45:53the winds will start coming in more
45:54from a west or northwesterly direction.
45:56So it won't be quite as cold.
45:58Now, Friday, we'll see this band of rain
46:00push eastwards across all areas.
46:02Sunny spells and blustery showers follow.
46:04And again, there could be a bit of hail
46:05mixed in with some of those showers.
46:07Temperatures just coming up closer to average
46:10for the time of the year.
46:11So this week, we'll see some big changes of weather
46:13turning cold for all of us midweek.
46:23Back on the North York Moors,
46:25we're discovering why protecting our dark skies matters.
46:30It's the stars.
46:31Yeah?
46:31They just draw you out.
46:33It's just something really special.
46:35It's so awe-inspiring.
46:36And what's lost when we don't?
46:38If we have artificial light,
46:40they're going, what is this?
46:42Is this daylight?
46:42Is it the moon?
46:43It completely changes their behaviour patterns.
46:46But it's not just wildlife that's affected.
46:50People working through the night need to adapt too.
46:59When darkness descends,
47:01most of us start winding down for the day.
47:04But for the RNLI crew at Whitby,
47:07that's when some of their toughest calls come in.
47:10Because as night falls over the Yorkshire coast,
47:13the sea becomes a far less predictable place.
47:17Richard Dowson is the station's coxswain
47:20and he has worked with the RNLI for 23 years.
47:25His colleague Leah Hunter is a volunteer
47:28who also runs her own surf school
47:31and is training as a paramedic.
47:35We've got about 29 volunteers on the crew at the moment.
47:39We've got solicitors, we've got joiners.
47:41They can come from any walk of life to join us.
47:43We do train our own casualty carers, the RNLI.
47:46But if we do need somebody on a shout
47:48who's got that medical background
47:50or, you know, that ability,
47:52like Leah's training as a paramedic,
47:53having somebody with that background knowledge
47:55is absolutely essential.
47:57About 12 years ago, I witnessed a shout.
48:00A rowing boat had capsized
48:02and I knew a few of the crew members at the time.
48:04I thought, it looks pretty cool what they're doing
48:06and I want to try and be a part of that.
48:10So training's every week.
48:12We're going to go out this evening.
48:13We're going to take our man overboard dummy,
48:16also known as Fred,
48:17and then we're going to practise for the crew
48:20on recovering that casualty from the water
48:23with the added challenge of the darkness.
48:28It's very important we train in the dark.
48:30A lot of the shouts we get at night
48:32are quite similar to the ones we have during the day.
48:36But the darkness throws a whole other element into it
48:39that we've got to deal with.
48:41So be that, you know, keeping light into a minimum
48:44to utilise our night-time vision.
48:47We operate under red lights inside the vessel
48:50and it can take up to 30 minutes
48:53for you to establish your kind of full night-time vision.
48:56Just getting a feel for the boat as well in the dark.
48:59You know, you can't always see the waves coming at you,
49:02switch-wise and buttons and things like that.
49:04You know, you can't always see them very well at night
49:06so it's just kind of knowing where everything's situated on the boat.
49:11I've got Matt as a mechanic
49:13but the mechanic on board also does the communications.
49:16We have Leah who's going to be on the helm
49:18so she'll be getting instructions from myself
49:22and the navigator on our course and where we're going.
49:25We've got Max who's going on the radar
49:27because we can only see so far ahead of us
49:30with our night-time vision and radar can see a lot, lot further.
49:33And then we've got Tom who will be sat at the back
49:36at the navigator's position
49:37and he'll ultimately be plotting a route to our location
49:41and then giving us the instruction on how to get there safely.
49:45Leah, this is our final leg.
49:47At this speed we've got approximately two minutes to run
49:49but I will start slowing you down
49:51just when we get to the final waypoint.
49:53If Tom and Max, if you can go on the deck
49:56and Leah, if you can be the spotter
49:58with that searchlight we've got rigged starboard side there,
50:02all right, I'll operate the one on the upper steering position
50:04and then once we've got eyes on,
50:07if you can then go on the lock and tackle,
50:10yeah, to hoist him out of the water, OK?
50:13Once out on deck,
50:14the team not only need to navigate the darkness
50:17but the unpredictable seas and high winds.
50:21My arm aboard!
50:23Is that eyes on? Eyes on. Got him.
50:26So we're directing the coxswain
50:28to the casualty in the water at the moment.
50:31We're utilising the searchlight
50:33and we'll keep eyes on them at all times
50:36and then the coxswain will come up with a plan of action.
50:39All right, so Tom, if you get the lines out from under here,
50:42all right, you're going to go on this forward clip,
50:44Max, you go on the aft one.
50:45We'll go for a rough weather recovery.
50:50Right, I'm clipped on.
50:51Clipped on? All right, undo the bottom rail then, Max.
50:54Yep. There's one metre away!
50:58Contact!
51:01That's OK, get him in the slings.
51:05OK!
51:06Right, you're running to less!
51:07Ready to less!
51:08Right.
51:09Hold him in.
51:13OK, Leah?
51:14Yep.
51:15Keep him there, Maxie.
51:17Yep.
51:17Don't move in.
51:18Yeah.
51:20We got him.
51:21Right, secure, Rich.
51:23OK, mate.
51:24Hello, Fred, can you hear me?
51:25Can you hear me?
51:26No response to voice.
51:28Any response to pain?
51:29Do a trap squeeze?
51:31No response to pain.
51:32OK, the patient is unconscious.
51:34We're all trained quite highly in casualty care
51:37and big sick, little sick is like our assessment
51:39on the state of what we think a casualty is.
51:42So if they're little sick,
51:44maybe we can put a blanket round them,
51:46sit them in one of the seats,
51:48bring them back to the station,
51:49give them a nice warm cup of tea.
51:50If they're big sick,
51:51then maybe they need evacuating
51:53and for further treatment in hospital
51:56or something like that.
51:57Not breathing, just go to breath.
51:59Unresponsive.
52:00Unresponsive.
52:00Ineffective.
52:01Start CPR.
52:04Rich?
52:05Yep.
52:05Unresponsive mail.
52:06Start CPR.
52:07I'll request a helicopter,
52:08then we'll have an helicopter come in.
52:09Helicopter.
52:11If that had have been a real-life situation,
52:13it was very much on the ball, as it were,
52:17as far as the standard operating procedure goes.
52:19There would have just been that more element of urgency.
52:23So the quicker we can get there
52:25and get them out and get them warmed up,
52:27start that casualty care process,
52:29the better, really.
52:30We achieved what we set out to,
52:32so I'm more than happy.
52:49With the glow from our towns and cities
52:52becoming ever more widespread,
52:53places to see the heavens in all their glory
52:56become rarer,
52:57making Damby Lodge National Park Observatory
53:00and the Dark Skies Festival more important than ever.
53:04This might just be my perfect moment
53:07to start learning about mapping the astronomical skies.
53:13Richard Darn is a renowned astronomer
53:15and worked with the National Parks team
53:18to help them achieve dark sky reserve status.
53:23Richard, what is so special about this location?
53:26Well, it's a rarity, isn't it?
53:28Somewhere that's actually dark at night.
53:30I mean, we've gotten used to light
53:31all through our cities and towns
53:33and even the countryside.
53:34Some areas are getting much more lit than there were.
53:36But when you come to somewhere truly dark,
53:38and here we are on the northern edge
53:39of the North York Moors,
53:40you look up and even on a cloudy night,
53:42their sky looks dark.
53:44It's just full of wonder as well.
53:45And when you get a clear sky, of course,
53:47that's what excites people.
53:49That's the reason why dark skies are really important.
53:52How rare are skies like this above the UK?
53:55Well, they're getting rarer.
53:57And they're getting rarer across Europe and the world, indeed.
53:59The world's brightening because of the amount of light
54:01that we're putting into it.
54:03So we still have dark places,
54:05but the battle's on to protect them
54:07and also perhaps to reverse that trend
54:09so more people can show in the wonder
54:11that we have above here on a clear night.
54:13And what is so special and precious about those dark skies?
54:18We just see all sorts of things.
54:21So if you live in a town or a city,
54:22you'll be lucky to see 10 to 20 stars, literally.
54:25I mean, some kids are probably going up
54:26not knowing there are stars.
54:28You know, you come here on the same night,
54:30it could be up to a 2000s.
54:32We see the northern lights quite regularly here.
54:34It's beautiful.
54:35We see the Milky Way here.
54:37You just simply can't see the Milky Way
54:39from built-up areas, you know.
54:41A lot's been lost,
54:42but there's still a battle to be fought
54:43and we can still protect these areas
54:45and, again, roll back the tide, hopefully.
54:48And is this place open for everyone to come in
54:51and view the stars?
54:52Yeah, so what we'll do,
54:53we've got trained astronomers here
54:55that are experts in interpreting the stars
54:57for people that know nothing.
54:58And, you know, what a great night
55:00when you come in and you find out
55:01all those things you've always wanted to learn.
55:03But this is a public facility.
55:05It's meant for the public, yeah.
55:06So people will come along, book in to events.
55:08So if you're just starting to stargaze,
55:11what are we looking out for?
55:13Where can we begin?
55:14Well, if it's this time of year,
55:16so we're talking about winter-spring time of year,
55:18I mean, everybody's eyes at Jupiter.
55:20So the telescope, even though it's cloudy,
55:22it's pointing at where Jupiter is.
55:24Super, super bright.
55:25There's only the moon that can really be brighter
55:27or Venus, and Venus is not in the sky.
55:29So super, super bright.
55:31And this time of year,
55:32look out for the hourglass shape,
55:33a constellation over the southern horizon.
55:35This is Orion, complete with Orion's belt.
55:39Everybody sees it.
55:40Even in a city, you'll probably see it as well.
55:42And once you've got that starting point,
55:44do you find once people can make a few things out,
55:47they get hooked in?
55:48Absolutely, everybody gets hooked in eventually.
55:51Yeah, once you see these things,
55:53most people have always wanted to see them.
55:55Even older people we get coming along.
55:56Just, they've never had that hunger satisfied in a way.
56:00It may be cloudy tonight,
56:03but with the observatory's high-tech kit,
56:06I'm hoping to spot something special.
56:10Right, if you'd like to come in here, Marguerite,
56:13let's see what we can see.
56:15Of course, we're going to have to withdraw
56:17the observatory roof.
56:19Oh, my goodness.
56:20So it comes right across.
56:22Oh, my goodness.
56:29It's a seemingly cloudy night sky, but...
56:32Richard, that's amazing.
56:33I think we might be able to see Jupiter.
56:37And it might be worth a look.
56:39Off you go.
56:40Is it already focused?
56:42Yeah, we've pointed it where Jupiter should be,
56:44so give it a go,
56:46and you might see something that's going to be amazing.
56:50Fingers crossed.
56:51Fingers crossed.
56:52OK.
56:54Slightly move your eye around.
56:56Get a bit closer.
56:59So...
56:59So is the round dot I can...
57:03Oh, wow, OK.
57:05It's the oh, wow moment.
57:08There's an oh, wow moment at every star party.
57:10Oh, I've got it there.
57:11Oh, my goodness.
57:13That was the oh, wow.
57:14Whoa.
57:15Yep, so there it is, 400 million miles away.
57:18Jeez.
57:20Ten times the diameter of the Earth.
57:22Big ball of gas.
57:24Oh, my goodness.
57:25And the biggest planet of the lot.
57:27I cannot believe that I am seeing that.
57:29It's hard to believe it's actually there.
57:31It's a full globe.
57:32It's a different world altogether.
57:34And knowing how large Jupiter is,
57:36and to see it so close, my goodness.
57:40And so perfect as well.
57:43But there you go.
57:44That's something most people have never, ever seen.
57:47Wow.
57:47One more thing chalked off your bucket list.
57:50Oh, goodness.
57:53What a special place.
57:55I could definitely get hooked on stargazing here.
57:58And having seen Jupiter that much closer for the first time,
58:01just incredible.
58:02Well, from the stars of the North York Moors
58:05to St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall next week.
58:11This is your problem.
58:12And it's a big problem.
58:13So when the tree has been falling over the wind,
58:15the root mass has come and swept into the tunnel.
58:19It's a beast.
58:20It's big, yes.
58:21It is huge.
58:22You know, she's very important.
58:23She is very important.
58:25It's very lovely.
58:27Oh, what was that?
58:28There.
58:29That was a chuff.
58:30I didn't see it, unfortunately.
58:31You're doubting me, aren't you?
58:33And I'm doubting myself now.
58:36Hope you can join us then.
58:37Goodbye.
58:41On a six-month expedition,
58:43get up close to Africa's magnificent felines.
58:46Big Cats 24-7 on BBC iPlayer,
58:49where it's the perfect time for a spring clean.
58:51Stacey Solomon returns to sort your life out.
58:53You can watch the new series now.
58:56Next to the island of Anglesey,
58:57on the north coast of Wales,
58:59Brantyx Rocha.
59:04.
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