Dark sky reserves 英國黑暗天空保護區

本集內容

學習要點

有關 “stargazing（觀星）” 的詞匯

邊看邊答

How many dark sky reserves are there in the UK now?

文字稿

Vibrant pictures of star-strewn darkness. Incredible images of our galaxy – the Milky Way – stretching across the night sky.

看看這些色彩繽紛的畫面，黑暗的天空中繁星點點。這些絕美的圖片，展現瞭銀河在夜幕下一瀉千裡。

These photos have been taken from the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors – two national parks which have now been designated Dark Sky Reserves. The special status is given to areas around the globe with low levels of light pollution and good conditions for astronomy.

這些照片拍攝於約克郡谷地國傢公園和北約克沼澤國傢公園，兩地均被列為 “黑暗天空保護區”。這一特殊名號是給予全球光污染程度低、天文條件良好的地區。

Richard Darn, Astronomer
About eight out of ten Yorkshire people cannot see the Milky Way from where they live. You come here, and it stretches [from] one horizon to the other, it’s fantastic – river of light in the sky. Northern Lights – we can see the Northern Lights from here, very, very difficult to see from other parts, more industrial parts of Yorkshire. So really it’s a sky full of magic both here and in the Dales.

理查德·達恩天文學傢
“大約80%的約克郡人從他們居住的地方看不到銀河。但你來到這裡，就能看到銀河從一側的地平線貫穿天空，綿延到另一側。太美瞭，像天空中的光之河。從這裡還能看到北極光，但在約克郡的其它地區，工業化程度較高，很難看到北極光。所以，這裡和約克郡谷地裡的天空都充滿瞭魔力。”

More than 1,300 square miles [3,366 square kilometres] combined – the two parks form one of the biggest areas in Europe to be given the status. They join five other dark reserves in the UK, including in Snowdonia and Exmoor.

這兩個國傢公園占地1300多平方英裡（3366平方公裡），是歐洲 “黑暗天空保護區” 最大的地區之一。除瞭這兩個地區以外，英國還有五個 “黑暗天空保護區”，包括雪墩山國傢公園和埃克斯穆爾國傢公園。

Julie Hutton, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
It’s amazing news that we’ve got the designation and what’s really important is that this gives the opportunity to businesses here to extend the season in tourism – we have dark sky festivals in February half term. Obviously the season’s often quieter in that time of the year, so this is a much needed opportunity to help boost the economy.

朱莉·赫頓約克郡谷地國傢公園管理局（Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority）
“很高興我們獲得瞭這個稱號，而真正重要的是，這給瞭當地的企業一個機會延長旅遊旺季，比如，在二月學中假期那一周，我們會舉辦暗夜觀星節。顯然，這個季節往往是一年中的旅遊淡季，所以這是提振經濟所急需的機會。”

It’s hoped the new status will help keep light pollution low, protect wildlife habitats, and attract visitors in winter months, when the sky is darkest, where, if you’re lucky, you can see the expanse of night, beautifully illuminated – reminding us that our planet is one tiny part of a vast, star-scattered universe.

人們希望 “黑暗天空保護區” 這個新名號將有助於將光污染保持在低程度、保護野生動物棲息地、並吸引遊客在天空最黑暗的冬季月份前來觀光。如果你夠幸運，就可以看到璀璨星光下的茫茫夜色，讓人不禁感慨：我們的星球隻是廣袤無垠、星辰遍佈的宇宙中的一小部分。