Crystal clear skies give stargazers stunning views thanks to Arctic blast

If you happened to look up into the sky last night you may have been treated to a dazzling starlight display.

Thanks to the cold weather we have been experiencing over the last month the skies are at their clearest because of clean air pushed down from the arctic.

Anyone wanting to witness the drama of our Milky Way galaxy has probably got one evening left to get away from light pollution to enjoy the spectacle.



Rebecca Sherwin, a forecaster for the Met Office, said: 'Air in the arctic is typically very clear so it's quite normal that you get this quality of air.

'It will probably last until some time this evening - the first part of the night should be okay. The best place to see it is to the east of England.

'These clear skies aren't that infrequent, it's not an uncommon situation to have a cold front coming down from the north with clear skies moving behind.'

She added that the best time to see the stars will be earlier in the evening with a mostly cloudless sky but a warmer front is moving up from the south and that could affect the view.



Exmoor National Park is home to some of the darkest skies inthe country with very little light pollution and is hoping to become the UK's first dark sky national park.

Amateur star gazers were in for a treat at the park's 'discovery event' which was held this weekend.

Astronomer, Sir Patrick Moore, said the main constellations to look out for are Orion, Taurus, Gemini, Canis major and minor, and Auriga as well as the usual suspects that are visible all year round such as the Great Bear.

He also said that a good starting point is the star Sirius which will be incredibly bright and appear to flash different clours