Dorchester residents are being encouraged to become citizen scientists and help map light pollution in our skies.

The annual CPRE Star Count is back from February 26 to March 6 and people are being asked to count the number of stars they see in the Orion constellation to help map the best and worst places to enjoy a star-filled night sky.

The results will be compared to 2021's findings, gathered during lockdown, which revealed a notable drop in the number of people experiencing severe light pollution given urban areas were much quieter and fewer large buildings were in use.

Tom Fyans, deputy chief executive of CPRE, the countryside charity, said: "The night sky is one half of our experience of nature, but we don't often think of it like that. In and of itself, it helps balance our mental health and boost our emotional wellbeing. Recollect that experience of a starry sky and you instinctively know it soothed you.

"But our view of the night sky - and all the benefits it undoubtedly brings - is being blotted out by light pollution. Like all forms of pollution, it is damaging our mental and physical health, and also having a severe impact on wildlife. Yet, it is a form of pollution that is allowed to increase year on year without any effort being made to control the damage it is causing."

In 2021, more than 7,000 people took part in CPRE's Star Count. The proportion of people reporting 'severe light pollution', defined as 10 stars or fewer being visible to the naked eye in the Orion constellation, had declined from 61 per cent to 51 per cent.

The proportion of 'truly dark skies', defined as more than 30 stars being visible in the Orion constellation, has increased from three per cent to five per cent. This was likely due to the count taking place during lockdown, with reduced levels of artificial light leading to a clearer view of the night sky.

Emma Marrington, dark skies campaigner from CPRE, said: "We need your help to find out if light pollution has increased over the past year and if more people are experiencing darker night skies.

"The results from Star Count will help us create a map of where light pollution is most serious, we can work with local councils and others to decide what to do about it.

"Star Count is a great way to switch off from the distractions of daily life and reconnect with nature - and by taking part as a citizen scientist, you can help us protect and improve everyone's view of a clear, sparkling night sky."

Light pollution means many people only experience a limited view of the night sky, and it also disrupts wildlife's natural patterns. By showing where views are most affected by light pollution, the evidence can be used to help protect and enhance the nation's dark skies, improving our health, wellbeing, wildlife and the environment.

Bob Mizon, of the British Astronomical Association's Commission for Dark Skies, who lives in Dorset, said: "The night sky is a great antidote to the stresses of modern life; you go out, look up and suddenly everything is calm. The stars made every atom in our bodies; they are our chemical parents. They're intimately connected to us and even in these light polluted days people have a real desire to see the stars.

"Just as we have an affinity with trees and the rest of nature, we have a connection to the night sky. It is literally 50 per cent of our environment - from east to west - and it is the only part of our environment that has no protection in law.

"People are rapidly coming to the conclusion that what we do to the environment has a direct impact on our wellbeing. The same as coral reefs dying off and rivers clogged with plastic bags - one more aspect of our impact on the environment is our pollution of the night sky and yet it is completely unprotected."

To find out more, visit cpre.org.uk

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