Ouseburn Wild Talk | Why Dark Skies Matter: Talk & Stargazing with Duncan Wise

ABOUT THE TALK

We are thrilled to welcome back wonderful Duncan Wise from Northumberland National Park, for an enchanting and fascinating evening discovering our starscape. Duncan was instrumental in securing theNorthumberland International Dark Sky Park status in 2013, and has continued to be a passionate advocate of its continued protection and exploration.

In his fascinating talk hosted at Ouseburn Farm, Duncan will share his expert tips into how – even in the urban environment – we can better conserve our dark skies for wildlife, and our own health and wellbeing. We will also delve into the various ways to enjoy stargazing; from specialist apps to discovering some of the best locations to become immersed in the star-dusted night-sky.

Weather permitting, Duncan will also host a guided stargazing session in Ouseburn Woods, with the use of Northumberland National Park’s specialist binoculars and telescopes. Fingers crossed for clear skies..! If you are unable to attend the stargazing session, you’re very welcome to just come along to the talk. 

We first welcomed Duncan to Ouseburn in 2023 as part of the Wild Ouseburn Dark Skies programme of events, which celebrated nocturnal wildlife and explored ways to protect urban dark skies for wildlife and people.

This year, we’re delighted to feature Duncan’s talk as part of a small collection of Wild Ouseburn dark skies events, as part of the newly launched North East Dark Skies Festival.

Part of the Ouseburn Wild Talks series, hosted in collaboration with Ouseburn Farm, as part of the Wild Ouseburn project. This year’s talk series is supported by the Reece Foundation’s Ouse Burn Way fund.

VENUE + EVENT TIMINGS

TICKETS:

Ouseburn Wild Talks are a welcoming place for everyone to come and discover all things wild. Talks are free and open for all to attend. Please RSVP your free place(s), you will be sent a reminder email a couple of days before the event. Complimentary hot drinks on the night.

DATE & TIME:

Thursday 19th February 2026. The talk will begin at Ouseburn Farm at 6.30pm – please arrive from 6.15pm to find a seat. The talk will finish at around 7.30pm, where we’ll head out for some stargazing (weather permitting).

LOCATION:

Ouseburn Farm, Ouseburn Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 2PA.

What3Words location: ///lions.speaks.ripe

Talks take place in Ouseburn Farm’s lovely, warm event space.

ACCESSIBILITY:

Ouseburn Farm, including access to the event space and toilets, are wheelchair accessible. If you would like to discuss other accessibility requirements, please feel welcome to contact us and we’ll be very happy to help.

Part of the North East Dark Skies Festival, in collaboration with Northumberland National Park.