When and where AstroCamp is held
Not yet announced. Its usual timing is spring and autumn; the darkest weekend that fits is March 5-7, 2027.
AstroCamp is held at Cantref Farm, Brecon Beacons near Brecon, Wales, United Kingdom, each year at about the same time (spring and autumn). It is organized by Awesome Astronomy. Live page lists the location as England; Brecon Beacons is in Wales.
The site is inside Brecon Beacons (International Dark Sky Reserve), certified by DarkSky International for the quality of its night sky.
Dates here are planning estimates from the Moon, not announced dates. Confirm with the organizer before you book.
How dark the sky gets at AstroCamp
Computed for the night of March 6, 2027 at the observing field, in local time.
Astronomical darkness
8.8 hours, 7:54 pm to 4:54 am
Moon
2% lit; 8.8 hours of dark sky with the Moon down
Milky Way core
rises to 9° at best from this latitude
Southern limit
stars to declination -38° clear the horizon
Elevation
about 250 m (820 ft)
At latitude 51.9°N, every star north of declination -38° rises here at some time of year. Omega Centauri, at −47°, never clears the horizon. The Milky Way core in Sagittarius tops out 9° above the southern horizon.
| Twilight | Evening | Morning |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset and sunrise | 6:01 pm | 6:46 am |
| Nautical twilight (Sun 12° down) | 7:14 pm | 5:34 am |
| Astronomical darkness (Sun 18° down) | 7:54 pm | 4:54 am |
What you can see from Brecon on the party night
Highest altitude each showpiece reaches between the end of evening twilight and the start of morning twilight that night. Dimmed rows are out of reach from this latitude or this season; that is the case for choosing a party farther south.
| Object | What it is | Highest | Best at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milky Way core | The bright star clouds of Sagittarius | 6° | 5:21 am low |
| Omega Centauri | The biggest globular cluster in the sky | - | never rises here |
| Southern Cross | Crux, the smallest constellation | - | never rises here |
| Carina Nebula | Eta Carinae and its nebula | - | never rises here |
| Large Magellanic Cloud | A satellite galaxy of the Milky Way | - | never rises here |
| Andromeda Galaxy | M31, the nearest big galaxy | 36° | 7:21 pm |
| Hercules Cluster | M13, the showpiece northern globular | 73° | 5:21 am |
| Orion Nebula | M42, the brightest nebula | 32° | 7:21 pm |
| Pleiades | M45, the Seven Sisters | 52° | 7:21 pm |
Planets in the night sky
Where Cantref Farm, Brecon Beacons is
Cantref Farm, Brecon Beacons, near Brecon, Wales. Coordinates 51.900°N, 3.380°W (approximate).
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open the larger map · Directions. Arrive before dark: headlights on the field ruin everyone's night vision.
Camping and lodging at AstroCamp
Field camping. Book early; on-site spaces at popular parties fill months ahead.
Nights at 250 m
Expect dew; bring heaters or shields for optics
Red light only
White flashlights and phone screens stay off on the field
No telescope needed
Owners share views; binoculars and a chair go a long way
Star parties near AstroCamp
| Star party | Near | Distance | Usual timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalby Forest Starfest | Pickering, England | 319 km (198 mi) | Spring |
| Equinox Sky Camp | Holt, England | 326 km (203 mi) | Near the September equinox |
| Mayo Dark Sky Festival | Newport, County Mayo | 469 km (291 mi) | Autumn |
| Skellig Star Party | Ballinskelligs, County Kerry | 473 km (294 mi) | Autumn |
| Butter Pot Star Party | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador | 3,542 km (2,201 mi) | August |
AstroCamp record
Every value in the star parties dataset for AstroCamp
| ID | 47 |
|---|---|
| Name | AstroCamp |
| Slug | astrocamp |
| PageURL | star-parties/astrocamp.htm |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Region | Wales |
| NearTown | Brecon |
| Site | Cantref Farm, Brecon Beacons |
| Lat | 51.9 |
| Lon | -3.38 |
| CoordCheck | approx |
| Elevation_m | 250 |
| Organizer | Awesome Astronomy |
| Founded | |
| TypicalMonths | 3|4 |
| TypicalTiming | Spring and autumn |
| NextStart | |
| NextEnd | |
| DateStatus | Not yet announced |
| Lodging | Field camping |
| DarkSkyPlace | Brecon Beacons (International Dark Sky Reserve) |
| Website | https://www.astrocamp.awesomeastronomy.com/ |
| ImageKey | astrocamp |
| Note | Live page lists the location as England; Brecon Beacons is in Wales. |
| Source | Legacy star-parties.htm; organizer website |
From the site's star parties dataset (starparties_q426). Sky conditions computed with Astronomy Engine for the field's coordinates.