The dark skies initiative driven by local enthusiasts has received a boost, with a four page feature in the latest issue of the BBC's Sky at Night magazine.

The article by Andrew White and accompanying photographs highlight the beauty of the Isle of Man as well as its attraction for stargazers.

Howard Parkin of AstroManx and the IoM Astronomical Society said: 'When Andrew visited the island he was astounded at not just the quality of the Manx night skies, but also about the fact that the island has the greatest concentration of of dark sky locations in the British Isles.

'The Island now has a total of 26 Dark sky discovery sites, 19 of which were awarded this prestigious accolade in January 2014. It is hoped that the island will now consider applying to the International Dark skies Authority to possibly become the world's first international dark skies nation.'

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