Next month’s Dark Skies Festival will see the first public screening in the UK of a thought provoking documentary highlighting the enormous impact of light pollution on the world’s population, wildlife and the environment.

Saving the Dark was first released in America in 2018 and will be shown at five exclusive screenings in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks during the 17-day Dark Skies Festival (15 February-3 March).

The documentary which is backed by the International Dark Sky Association has been credited with drawing attention to the impact of excessive and improper lighting which not only robs people of the night skies but disrupts sleep patterns and endangers nocturnal habitats. According to the film maker, 80% of the world’s population can no longer see the Milky Way.

The film will complement the many other new events happening at this year’s Festival at venues right across both National Parks and the Howardian Hills and Nidderdale Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Alongside Professor Tim O’Brien’s talk at Castle Howard, visitors intrigued by space research can also listen to Henrique Araujo, Professor of Physics at Imperial College, one of the world’s leading experts on dark matter. He will be speaking at Whitby Museum on 15 February on the Search for Dark Matter.

For the first time the National Trust will help host a stargazing evening on the cliff tops at Ravenscar. Other new stargazing evenings will be held at Forest Holidays in Cropton and Cober Hill in the North York Moors.

Activity seekers can enjoy moonlit and starry skies while trail running at Dalby Forest or join one of the walks with guided walking specialist Large Outdoors at Sutton Bank, Chop Gate, Lastingham or Robin Hood’s Bay.

Meanwhile over in Whitby, guests can enjoy an evening dining on-board The Endeavour Experience while learning more about how astronomy was important during Captain Cook’s voyage including the significance of plotting the Transit of Venus. Expert astronomer Richard Darn will also be on-hand for a spot of stargazing from the deck of the HM Bark Endeavour replica.

Alongside the many space-themed crafting sessions youngsters will also be well catered for with a moonrock geocaching session, moon-making sessions and an astro-themed treasure hunt at The Moors National Park Centre at Danby.

Budding photographers can hone night-time skills at stunning locations such as Castle Howard or the Helmsley Walled Garden.

Each National Park has three Dark Sky Discovery locations where skies are sufficiently dark to potentially view the Milky Way with the naked eye. The North York Moors sites are at The Moors National Park Centre at Danby, Sutton Bank and Dalby Forest.

The Yorkshire Dales Dark Sky Discovery locations are at Hawes, Malham and Buckden while Nidderdale AONB has four at Scar House, Thruscross and Fewston Reservoirs and Toft Gate Lime Kiln.

Programme information and booking details can be found on www.darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk. A number of events will be free while others will have a small charge attached.