STARDISC

Things to do and see...

I was watching “The Sky at Night” the other evening and the young presenters that are still full of whatever passes for “vim” and “vigour” in astronomy circles were “out and about” and away from their usual studio (at Patrick Moore’s house, I believe) and they happened to turn up at the new “StarDisc” sculpture in Wirksworth in Derbyshire which looks to be a rather impressive way of representing the night sky to those of us who look up, can just about work out where the Orion constellation is, and then struggle to get our bearings after that.

I mean, I’ve got the Star Map on the wall upstairs, I’ve got at least three books about the night sky, I’ve got a Planisphere, and I’ve even got one of those little telescope thingies that’s supposed to help you identify them all, but still, take me outside the limits of the mighty hunter and I’m very quickly lost.

What I really need, I suppose, is to spend a clear, dark night outside with someone who knows what they’re talking about, but I don’t suppose that’s likely to ever happen once I’ve battened down the hatches, cranked up the heating, made a hot beverage, and put the TV on…

The difficulty with a large outdoor display of the night sky is that it’s probably best seen in daylight and yet would be most use in darkness, which is the constant dilemma with the little books and gadgets I have. It’s usually too flippin’ dark to read the instructions, and the light pollution caused by pointing a torch at the page – never easy when you’re trying to hold it open in your gloved paws – usually finds the spirit of the blitz being reference with a hearty “Put that light out!!!”

I do seem to remember that there did used to be clear “bubble” style umbrellas you could buy that had the starfields printed upon them in luminous inks, but I don’t suppose you can still get those anymore, what with the radioactivity, and health and safety, and whatnot…

This problem has been addressed in the sculpture, which is 12 metres across and has been carved out of black granite and, at night, is illuminated by 72 lights which, rather poetically, are powered by solar energy. Around the edges are twelve seats carved out of grey granite and, like in all planispheres, where you choose to sit, and the direction you are viewing both the named constellations carved into the surface of the sculpture, and the night sky itself, depends upon what time of the year it is.

So, if you are looking for a place to go, the StarDisc can be found at Stoney Wood in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, DE4 4EN (if you need to programme your SatNav…), overlooking the Ecclesbourne Valley, and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the year. It is described as being a 21st century stone circle and amphitheatre designed to inspire, entertain, engage and educate and, to quote the artist Aidan Shingler himself:

“I approached this project from an artistic perspective rather than a scientific perspective. Throughout my life I have been enchanted by the mystery and magic of the stars. My interest in the stars lies with our emotional response to them; their power to ignite our imagination and sense of wonder. The inspiration for the StarDisc stems from a vision to create environments where people from all walks of life can gather, contemplate, and connect with whatever lies beyond the sphere of our world. The StarDisc is a temple without walls.”

You can find out more at: http://www.stardiscenterprise.co.uk