North Ronaldsay Dark Sky recognition

North Ronaldsay joins a very select number of locations around the world in being recognised as an International Dark Sky Community by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA).

The announcement was made by the IDA during the Orkney International Science Festival online event featuring Scotland’s new Astronomer Royal, Prof. Catherine Heymans, and IDA’s Director of Conservation, Ashley Wilson.

The accreditation comes after more than a decade of hard work by the local community, including dark-sky measurements, comprehensive lighting surveys, and commitments to preventing light pollution and preserving dark skies.

Councillor Heather Woodbridge, from North Ronaldsay, was delighted with the announcement – although it was delayed slightly by a technical glitch.

She said: “What added to the build-up was that, the IDA representative, Ashley Wilson’s connection cut out just as she was breaking the good news! This is the culmination of 10 plus years’ work by a group of dedicated individuals, running numerous community engagement events, and more recently, the community working with the Council planning team regarding the contents of Minimising Obtrusive Lighting Plan to meet with the requirements of the IDA accreditation.

“Thanks to the lack of light pollution here on the island we are blessed with incredible natural light displays in North Ronaldsay – something which we are incredibly proud of and though this work have every intention of maintaining. The light is being shone on North Ronaldsay for all the right reasons!”

North Ronaldsay is one of just over 30 other such designated areas worldwide.

The list includes two other communities in Scotland – the island of Coll and Moffat town.

IDA’s Executive Director Ruskin Hartley said today: “We are proud to recognise and celebrate the efforts of this community that spent a decade raising awareness and encouraging residents to embrace their connection with the night sky. By making this commitment, North Ronaldsay will embellish their economy, preserve important seabird habitat, and ensure the stars and cosmic wonders are shared by all who visit the Dark Sky Island.”

North Ronaldsay’s recognition is the outcome of a long process of assessment and community activity. The foundations were laid by the late Kathleen Scott of North Ronaldsay Community Association, who coordinated visits by astronomer Steve Owens and lighting engineer Jim Paterson for surveys of the island’s skies and outdoor lighting. She organised numerous astronomy activities on the island, including talks, night sky photography competitions, and a weekend astronomy conference.

The North Ronaldsay Trust continued her work and gathered further support from many people across Orkney and beyond. The former Astronomer Royal for Scotland, the late Prof. John C. Brown, agreed to become a patron of the proposal.

The International Dark-Sky Association works to protect the night skies for present and future generations. Learn more about the North Ronaldsay recognition here: https://www.darksky.org/north-ronaldsays-dark-skies-gain-international-recognition/

Image: A photo of the Sanger croft house, North Ronaldsay, Orkney, with a backdrop of Aurora Borealisv by Peter Donnelly.