Doncaster, Harrogate and Selby named among best locations for stargazing in your garden

Luckily, you don’t have to travel far to experience the fascinating wonders of the universe. Sometimes just setting up some folding chairs and a telescope in your back garden will do the trick.

Just like when buying a house, the key to gazing at the night sky and experiencing the magic of stars, is location, location, location. If you live in the right places, with warmer weather, you can explore all that the night sky has to offer.

The Paint Shed has recently conducted a survey to discover the best places to live in the UK if you want to see the stars from your own garden.

The research analysed 182 locations using several data points including the access to private gardens, air pollution, light pollution and precipitation to find out which UK locations were the best for stargazing.

Out of 25 places in the UK, three of them are in Yorkshire, with Harrogate being listed in the top five with an overall score of 209. Whilst Harrogate did not come in top for any individual factors, its air pollution rank was one of the lowest.

Doncaster came in 11th place with a total score of 256 and Selby came in 12th place with an overall score of 257.

Below is the full list of the 25 best locations in the UK for stargazing in your garden.

1 - Lincoln, East Midlands

Garden rank: 53

Air pollution rank: 35

Annual rainfall rank: 30

Days of rainfall rank: 42

Artificial brightness rank: 3

Total score: 163

2 - Wigan, North West

Garden rank: 37

Air pollution rank: 47

Annual rainfall rank: 1

Days of rainfall rank: 1

Artificial brightness rank: 92

Total score: 178

3 - Boston, East Midlands

Garden rank: 51

Air pollution rank: 58

Annual rainfall rank: 21

Days of rainfall rank: 21

Artificial brightness rank: 32

Total score: 183

4 - Anglesey, Wales

Garden rank: 3

Air pollution rank: 6

Annual rainfall rank: 98

Days of rainfall rank: 93

Artificial brightness rank: 1

Total score: 201

5 - Harrogate, Yorkshire and the Humber

Garden rank: 36

Air pollution rank: 15

Annual rainfall rank: 45

Days of rainfall rank: 85

Artificial brightness rank: 28

Total score: 209

6 - Maldon, East of England

Garden rank: 75

Air pollution rank: 93

Annual rainfall rank: 18

Days of rainfall rank: 13

Artificial brightness rank: 11

Total score: 210

7 - Southend-on-Sea, East of England

Garden rank: 109

Air pollution rank: 125

Annual rainfall rank: 2

Days of rainfall rank: 2

Artificial brightness rank: 2

Total score: 240

8 - Chichester, South East

Garden rank: 15

Air pollution rank: 77

Annual rainfall rank: 107

Days of rainfall rank: 25

Artificial brightness rank: 22

Total score: 246

9 - Corby, East Midlands

Garden rank: 84

Air pollution rank: 60

Annual rainfall rank: 28

Days of rainfall rank: 23

Artificial brightness rank: 58

Total score: 253

10 - Hartlepool, North East

Garden rank: 11

Air pollution rank: 11

Annual rainfall rank: 23

Days of rainfall rank: 133

Artificial brightness rank: 78

Total score: 256

11 - Doncaster, Yorkshire and the Humber

Garden rank: 43

Air pollution rank: 34

Annual rainfall rank: 17

Days of rainfall rank: 25

Artificial brightness rank: 137

Total score: 256

12 - Selby, Yorkshire and the Humber

Garden rank: 59

Air pollution rank: 25

Annual rainfall rank: 45

Days of rainfall rank: 85

Artificial brightness rank: 43

Total score: 257

13 - Darlington, North East

Garden rank: 8

Air pollution rank: 10

Annual rainfall rank: 23

Days of rainfall rank: 133

Artificial brightness rank: 84

Total score: 258

14 - Wellingborough, East Midlands

Garden rank: 54

Air pollution rank: 87

Annual rainfall rank: 51

Days of rainfall rank: 53

Artificial brightness rank: 42

Total score: 287

15 - Great Yarmouth, East of England

Garden rank: 14

Air pollution rank: 100

Annual rainfall rank: 50

Days of rainfall rank: 47

Artificial brightness rank: 77

Total score: 288

16 - Kettering, East Midlands

Garden rank: 47

Air pollution rank: 79

Annual rainfall rank: 51

Days of rainfall rank: 53

Artificial brightness rank: 59

Total score: 289

17 - Stratford-on-Avon, West Midlands

Garden rank: 45

Air pollution rank: 43

Annual rainfall rank: 48

Days of rainfall rank: 67

Artificial brightness rank: 89

Total score: 292

18 - Peterborough, East of England

Garden rank: 81

Air pollution rank: 90

Annual rainfall rank: 28

Days of rainfall rank: 23

Artificial brightness rank: 72

Total score: 294

19 - Cambridge, East of England

Garden rank: 117

Air pollution rank: 114

Annual rainfall rank: 3

Days of rainfall rank: 12

Artificial brightness rank: 55

Total score: 301

20 - Cherwell, South East

Garden rank: 67

Air pollution rank: 111

Annual rainfall rank: 68

Days of rainfall rank: 51

Artificial brightness rank: 5

Total score: 302

21 - Chester, North West

Garden rank: 23

Air pollution rank: 26

Annual rainfall rank: 103

Days of rainfall rank: 138

Artificial brightness rank: 13

Total score: 303

22 - Bedford, East of England

Garden rank: 68

Air pollution rank: 98

Annual rainfall rank: 27

Days of rainfall rank: 40

Artificial brightness rank: 71

Total score: 304

23 - Torbay, South West

Garden rank: 1

Air pollution rank: 41

Annual rainfall rank: 153

Days of rainfall rank: 98

Artificial brightness rank: 12

Total score: 305

24 - Oadby and Wigston, East Midlands

Garden rank: 108

Air pollution rank: 69

Annual rainfall rank: 43

Days of rainfall rank: 62

Artificial brightness rank: 30

Total score: 312

25 - Stockton-on-Tees, North East

Garden rank: 35

Air pollution rank: 17

Annual rainfall rank: 23