Durlston County Park & National Nature Reserve is located at the southeastern tip of Dorset County, United Kingdom. The 320-acre park is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and includes a castle and observatory. The Astronomy Centre at Durlston has a 14-inch telescope under the dome. Park rangers and members of the Wessex Astronomical Society hold public talks, lectures and observing events. The dark sky over the English Channel makes Durlston County Park a great place to view star clusters, galaxies and more.
Deborah Byrd
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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.