Chris Packham urges public to join CPRE's Star Count 2023 as it attempts to map light pollution

Television broadcaster Chris Packham is appealing to the public to look to the skies to support a campaign to tackle light pollution.

He is urging people to take part in countryside charity CPRE’s annual Star Count.

From February 17 to 24, people are asked to spend 20 minutes counting stars within the constellation of Orion to help build a national database mapping light pollution.

Chris, who was seen on TV screens for BBC Winterwatch last month, said: “We have many grave concerns about things which are impacting negatively upon our wildlife and they all urgently need addressing. One which is unfortunately relatively frequently overlooked is light pollution.

"Light pollution can be a real nuisance. It can interrupt animals’ behaviour and drastically disrupt their ecology, particularly nocturnal species like bats and moths. And that's why CPRE, the countryside charity, is organising Star Count.

“This is a great piece of citizen science where me and you can gaze into the night sky and count the number of stars which are visible to us in the constellation of Orion. This is stargazing made easy and you don't even need a telescope.”

CPRE is calling for stronger local and national planning policy to combat light pollution. The National Planning Policy Framework, where these policies are decided, is under review.

To get involved with Star Count, citizen scientists need to sign up in advance but it's all about looking at the sky with your eyes. Binoculars or telescopes are not needed. People can sign up here.

Emma Marrington, dark skies campaigner at CPRE, said: “As the rewilding movement gathers pace, with government, landowners, farmers and conservation groups backing evermore ambitious projects, we are urging them to remember that the night sky is an intrinsic part of nature. Studies have shown that exposure to artificial light at night disrupts the natural circadian rhythms of humans as well as animals, leading to a range of negative health effects.

“The night sky is becoming increasingly obscured by artificial light. Sadly, this means most people in the UK can’t see many stars at all, especially if they live near a big town or city. Yet, it’s a form of pollution that has been allowed to grow for years without any significant effort being made to control the damage it’s causing to people, nature and the environment. It’s time to rewild the night sky and help people, as well as wildlife, reconnect to such a vital part of our heritage.”