The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle constructed between 2600 and 2400 BC, located on the Mainland, the largest island in Orkney, Scotland. The site is free to visit and open year-round. As is the norm in the Scottish islands, the skies are mostly pristine; a stargazer told EarthSky the following: “As much as the rural Scottish north coast, the Orkney Islands are a perfect location for stargazing on clear nights. Most of the area out here is just empty grassland with no major city nearby for many miles. In the winter months, you may even see the green-purple northern lights on the night sky.”
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.