Discover the stars at Dover Castle

Join us for a captivating evening of stargazing at Dover Castle during Dover Youth Festival. Led by experts from the South East Kent Astronomical Society (SEKAS), this session is especially aimed at young people aged 11-19.

You’ll have the chance to:

• Use provided telescopes to observe stars and constellations (weather permitting).
• Learn fascinating insights about the night sky from experienced amateur astronomers and astrophotographers.
• Enjoy a rare opportunity to experience Dover Castle after dark.

What to bring:

• Dress warmly—it can get very cold at night.
• A torch or phone with a torch function (red light preferred to preserve night vision). You can find a tutorial for iPhone here, or if you're using Android, apps like Twilight: Blue Light Filter or Red Light can help.
• Optional: folding chair, blanket, or binoculars for added comfort and personal stargazing.

Important notes:

• Stargazing is weather-dependent and the event may therefore be changed or cancelled at short notice. Please ensure you sign up with a valid email address to stay up to date with any changes.
• Enhance your experience by downloading a stargazing app like Stellarium or SkyView Lite ahead of time.

For offline access to the important information, download our Stargazing Joining Instructions (PDF, 1.2mb).