Argyll's First Dark Sky Discovery Site

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Argyll gets first Dark Sky Discovery Site
West Kintyre Stargazers are delighted to announce that their nomination for a Dark Sky Discovery Site here in Kintyre has been successful. The Putechan Hotel at Bellochantuy was nominated by West Kintyre Stargazers some time ago but the official notification that the nomination was successful happened last week. The location, on the west coast, is the first location in Argyll to receive Dark Sky Discovery Site status from the Dark Sky Discovery programme. It is hoped that further sites within Kintyre will follow in the footsteps of The Putechan and have successful bids for the same status.
Last night’s event along with monthly events to follow should help to bring a sparkle to the long winter nights. Kintyre has long had links with the night sky, from ancient standing stones to more recent maritime navigation, West Kintyre Stargazers see this as a first step on the road to develop Kintyre as a Dark Sky destination. This presents wonderful opportunities for local communities and local schools to benefit from appreciating the dark skies in our area. This successful nomination firmly puts Kintyre on the Dark Sky Discovery map:
http://www.darkskydiscovery.org.uk/dark ... s/map.html
and it is hoped that more businesses in the area will get on board and see the opportunities astro tourism has to offer by bringing stargazers to Kintyre from out with the area throughout the winter months.
West Kintyre Stargazers would especially like to thank their patron Dr Alex MacKinnon, Argyll and Bute Council and The Putechan Hotel for all their help and support in bringing Dark Sky Discovery status to Kintyre.
We would also like to thank all those who braved the elements to attend last night's launch event and are delighted to announce that Dr Alec MacKinnon will be returning to The Putechan on 25th November to give a presentation on The Sun. For more details on this event please go to our website at
www.westkintyrestargazers.weebly.com

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The first Dark Sky Discovery Site in Kintyre and Argyll features on BBC Radio Scotlands 'Out Of Doors' programme. You can listen to this programme by following this link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nxvn0
Alternatively you can listen live on Sunday 18th November on Radio Scotland at 11.05am.

For further information on West Kintyre Stargazers and their events for 2012, follow this link:
www.westkintyrestargazers.weebly.com