Dark Skies Experience: Geminids Meteor Shower Special at Sutton Bank - North York Moors
Gaze up at the night sky over the North York Moors National Park using our state-of-the-art telescopes and learn about the cosmos with our stargazing guide. This December, join us for a special Geminids Meteor Shower Party, and experience the magic of the meteor shower along with an evening of stargazing delights.
Experience Type: Day Experience
Duration: Up to 3 hours
Level: This experience involves outdoor stargazing only (wheelchair accessible)
Group Size: Maximum 20
Age: Generally suitable for over 12s (under 18s must be accompanied by parent/guardian throughout)
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs
In a Nutshell:
Learn about the North York Moor’s beautiful dark skies and the cosmos with a stargazing guide.
Discover the Geminids Meteor Shower.
Gaze in awe through our variety of telescopes trained on the celestial bodies providing the best views on the night.
Take home souvenir digital images of the celestial bodies we see on the night - taken by our telescopes!
Book today…
Shooting stars!
The Geminids meteor shower, one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year, occurs every December. It originates from the 3200 Phaethon asteroid, and as Earth passes through the debris left behind, we are treated to bright and frequent meteors streaking across the sky.
The Orion Nebula snapped from the North York Moors by our digital telescope. Distance 1344 light-years
Join Large Outdoors for a special Dark Skies Experience at Sutton Bank during the peak of the Geminids. You can expect to see up to 120 meteors per hour, with bright, multi-coloured trails that light up the dark winter sky. Our guided event will include expert tips on stargazing, stories about the night sky, and the chance to witness one of nature’s most incredible shows in the pristine darkness of the North York Moors.
A special note for the 2024 Geminids Shower: This year's shower coincides with a full moon, which may limit the number of visible meteors. However, we will still have our telescopes and a packed evening planned.
Suggested Itinerary
Here’s what we’ve got planned - of course, we may have to offer alternatives or make amendments if the weather misbehaves or other unexpected situations arise!
You’ll meet the Large Outdoors stargazing guide at 6:45pm, ready to start stargazing at 7pm. They will introduce you to the night’s sky through our range of telescopes and knowledge of the constellations and cosmos. We’ll make use of the dedicated Star and Nature Hub - gathering around the outdoor seating area (with dark sky friendly red lights) and spend the evening enjoying a close-up look at the stars and other celestial bodies offering the clearest views on the night.
Along with our regular telescopes, we’ll be bringing along our state-of-the-art smart telescope with a built-in camera that we’ll use to snap some of the sights, which we can share with your as awesome digital souvenirs of what you see on the night!
As always, we’ll be having a good laugh together as we learn, and we’ll be providing hot drinks (and biscuits) to keep you warm.
If the weather doesn’t play ball on the night, your guide will teach you more about the stars from the Star and Nature Hub’s dedicated indoor space, with an engaging and entertaining presentation and discussion about the night’s sky.
Please note: This experience will go ahead whether it’s a clear or cloudy night - your guide will lead you inside to share an engaging and entertaining presentation and discussion about the night’s sky if the conditions are not suitable for stargazing.
Essential Information
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Meeting Time: 6:45pm (to start stargazing at 7pm).
Meeting Location:
Car Park at Sutton Bank National Park Centre - we’ll meet you by the bus stop, outside the centre.
Sutton Bank
Thirsk
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Parking: There is plenty of parking available and this is provided free of charge for this evening, courtesy of the North York Moors National Park.
Public Transport: Unfortunately, the meeting location and timings for this Large Outdoors experience mean it is not accessible via public transport.
Finish Time: We aim to finish around 10pm if the weather has been kind and allowed us lots of stargazing opportunities.
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Included:
• A Large Outdoors guide to help you learn about the dark skies and enjoy your experience at Sutton Bank.
• The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
• Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not included:
• Travel to and from the meeting location.
• Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
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Please see our Dark Skies Experience Kit List.
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should be carrying the items listed.
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• Will the experience be cancelled if it’s cloudy or raining?
No - this experience will go ahead whether it’s a clear or cloudy night. Your guide will lead you inside to share an engaging and entertaining presentation and discussion about the night’s sky if the conditions aren’t suitable for stargazing.• What level of fitness is needed?
This experience involves outdoor stargazing only. The outdoor areas are adjacent to the indoor areas we’ll enjoy a presentation and cuppa in, so there is very limited walking between these areas. The only other walking involved is from the car park to the areas we are using - approx. 250m. This experience is wheelchair accessible.• Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.• Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the activity and any additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary.
This map is provided for guidance regarding the general location. For detailed meeting information, please refer to the 'Meeting Time & Location' section.