Beginner telescope
Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Reflector
A budget Newtonian that shows the Moon's craters and Jupiter's moons. Best for first-timers who want aperture for the money.
Stargazing in Exmoor, Somerset & Devon
Exmoor was Europe's first International Dark Sky Reserve. From the high moor you get genuinely rural Bortle 3 skies, with the Milky Way arching overhead and an unspoilt view south over the Bristol Channel.
The sky from Exmoor, right now
- Planets
- Constellation lines
- Deep-sky (Messier)
- Ecliptic — the planets' path
- Milky Way
- Horizon
Live planetarium for your location & local time · drag to explore · bright stars & Messier objects labelled.
Exmoor, Somerset & Devon sky at a glance
- Sky darkness
- Bortle 3 — rural skies
- Elevation
- 1,300 ft
- Best months
- October, November, February
- Coordinates
- 51.13°, -3.65°
When to look up
Moorland weather turns fast — a clear, frosty night behind a cold front is the prize. The Reserve publishes a dark-sky map; Wimbleball Lake and Holdstone Hill are popular pull-ins.
Worth hunting for from here: the summer Milky Way; Andromeda Galaxy (M31); the Pleiades (M45); the Orion Nebula in winter.
Escaping the city glow
Brendon Two Gates and County Gate both have parking and wide horizons right inside the Reserve.
Light pollution around Exmoor, Somerset & Devon
NASA VIIRS night lights (Black Marble) · brighter = more skyglow · darker = better stargazing.
Gear to get started
New to observing from Exmoor? These beginner-friendly picks suit rural skies. See our full gear guides for more.
Beginner telescope
Celestron NexStar 4SE Computerized Telescope
A compact GoTo Maksutov that finds and tracks targets automatically — the easiest path from 'I bought a telescope' to actually seeing things.
Astronomy binoculars
Celestron SkyMaster 25x70 Binoculars
The classic 'try astronomy without a telescope' pick. Sweeps the Milky Way and resolves bright star clusters. Use a tripod adapter.