Stargazing in Durham is easier than you think. Here's a way to see the stars without even leaving Durham city.

Usually, stargazing in Durham or anywhere else seems to involve heading to the middle of nowhere at the dead of night to stare up at the night sky. After all, in order to improve your chances of see anything, you need to get away from the bright lights of the cities and towns and go somewhere truly dark in the many dark sky areas of County Durham.

Once you do, then the full range of stars reveal themselves, and sometimes even the vague smudge of the Milky Way heaves into view.

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But let's face it, sometimes you just want a simple evening out, and when you go stargazing in Durham you don't want to have to head off into the middle of the countryside; it's preferable to stay closer to home, with all the simplicity that brings - especially on a weeknight.

Thankfully, you can: head along to the Durham Astronomical Society who make stargazing in Durham city a possibility.

Durham Astronomical Society is a group of amateur astronomers who hold meetings once a month with a talk on one particular aspect of astronomy, and they regularly get together for stargazing in Durham.

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While the light pollution closer to Durham city will be higher than in one of County Durham's many dark sky areas in its more remote locations, Durham Astronomical Society have telescopes and members of the public are welcome to go along for a presentation and stargazing afterwards if weather permits.

The Durham Astronomical Society gets together at 7.30pm for a couple of hours on the fourth Friday of every month from September to June (excluding December) for stargazing in Durham. They meet at the Durham University Botanic Garden on Hollingside Lane, which you can find at DH1 3TN.

If you fancy going stargazing in Durham without going into the wilds of County Durham, then contact Durham Astronomical Society on info@durhamastronomy.org for more information.