Galaxies far, far way are now within sight for Northern Ireland folks from a forest in Co Tyrone.
That's because Northern Ireland’s darkest skies have taken their place among global stars like the Grand Canyon with the launch of our first Dark Skies Observatory.
And it has blasted us forward lightyears in the stargazing stakes.
OM, named for the language of the universe, is nestled among the trees of Davagh Forest in the Sperrin Mountains area of outstanding natural beauty.
Just a stone's through from Stone Henge elder - Beaghmore Stone Circles - the Mid Ulster District Council attraction will allow visitors to see the night sky in all it's glory without any interference from light pollution.
And it is a place you could truly lose yourself among the skyward trees, echoing birdsong, bog cotton meadows and flutterings of butterflies.
Mid Ulster Council chair Cathal Mallaghan told Belfast Live: “The local community of Broughderg saw the potential of this forest park and the initial idea was about bringing in mountain bike trails - which turned out to be a phenomenal success.
“On the back of that we realised about the dark sky that we have in Davagh and this is now the second recognised dark sky park in Ireland.
“This is going to be a fantastic opportunity now for those people who are interested in viewing the solar system, the stars - the sky.
“As a council we are really excited about this project. We also have new glamping pods just up the road... and it’s been done in such a way that it hasn’t interrupted any of the local biodiversity.”
The new OM Dark Sky Park cost £1.2m to build and despite being ready last year was launched just yesterday as it was finally able to welcome visitors.
It seems stargazers too have been waiting eagerly to view them from NI’s darkest sky as it is fully booked for the first few weeks.
One of only two places in Ireland to be designated as an International Dark Sky Park, a lack of light pollution allows unrivalled views of the night sky and makes the site ideal for stargazing.
Bringing space exploration right down to earth, the OM exhibition uses virtual reality, touch screens, binoculars, mini-telescopes and interpretative panels to help visitors explore our solar system on guided tours.
At its heart is the first floor observatory with a retractable roof where the 14 inch LX600 Meade telescope will be in action during special star-gazing events and VIP tours. It has already been used by technician Adam Jeffers to take pictures like the one above.
The full night-time experience, including the OM Odyssey films which are screened outside, will follow in the autumn, speeding the audience from urban lights into the vastness of the universe or swooping them through an ancient forest, under the fast-flowing Broughderg River before they soar into the sky.
DAERA Minister Edwin Poots said: “It’s absolutely fantastic and from this facility you can get this view of the galaxy that wouldn’t be available elsewhere in Northern Ireland.
“Davagh is the 78th site in the world to be given this recognition and the 77th was the Grand Canyon.”
The project was part funded by (DAERA) Rural Tourism Scheme under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and the Landfill Tax Fund and as well as Mid Ulster District Council.
The disability friendly venue, with changing places facilities, opens to the public on Thursday, June 3. To find out more and to book, visit www.omdarksky.com.
Video: Harry Bateman
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