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Lancashire · England
Spiritual Blackpool
If you live in or near Blackpool, this page brings the night sky, the old sites and the seasons together in one place. It covers where to find properly dark skies, what the sun and moon are doing across the year at Blackpool's latitude (53.8°N), the heritage and folklore places nearby, and when to order so your crystals, tarot or candles arrive in time.
Blackpool Illuminations. Photo: Kmtextor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Region Lancashire
- Dark skies Yorkshire Dales International Dark Sky Reserve
- Delivery UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days
Places to visit
Real photographs, with directions. Tap a map link to open the exact spot.
History, folklore and tips
The history
Blackpool's Illuminations were first switched on in 1879 and today run for about six miles along the seafront each autumn. Pendle Hill, about an hour's drive east, is linked with the Lancashire witch trials of 1612.
Folklore and tradition
Blackpool's Golden Mile has long had fortune tellers and palmists, part of seaside tradition since Victorian times.
Visiting tips
- The Illuminations usually run from late August or early September to early January.
- For dark skies, head away from the coast towards the Forest of Bowland.
- Pendle Hill is best climbed from Barley.
From the shop
Shop for Blackpool
Tarot decks in the seaside fortune-telling tradition, delivered to Blackpool. UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days.
Sky almanac for Blackpool
Dark skies and stargazing near Blackpool
Dark skies and stargazing near Blackpool
The nearest certified dark-sky place to Blackpool is Yorkshire Dales International Dark Sky Reserve, about 79 km (49 miles) away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Eryri (Snowdonia) Dark Sky Reserve, about 112 km (70 miles) away. The best nights are clear, moonless ones around a new moon. The next new moons are on 9 November, 9 December, 7 January, 6 February. Find event dates on the Yorkshire Dales International Dark Sky Reserve website.
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Blackpool
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Blackpool
At the June solstice on 21 June 2027, the sun rises in Blackpool at about 04:40 and sets at about 21:47 (BST), giving 17h 6m of daylight, 28 minutes more than in London. At the December solstice on 21 December 2026 it rises at about 08:28 and sets at about 15:52 (GMT), giving only 7h 24m. Around the March equinox (20 March 2027), sunrise is about 06:17 and sunset about 18:23. Between roughly 14 May and 1 August, the sun never sinks far enough below the horizon for full astronomical darkness, so the faintest stars and the Milky Way are hard to see. In folk tradition the full moon marks the month. The next full moons fall on 24 November, 24 December, 22 January, 20 February, 22 March. Times are calculated (NOAA formulas) and approximate.
Best times of year
Best times of year
Most of the good stargazing near Blackpool happens between October and March, when you do not have to stay up late for darkness.
The Quadrantids peak on the night of 3–4 January 2027 with the moon 12% lit. They are short and sharp, best after midnight, and the January cold means layers and a flask are essential.
On the Geminid peak night of 13–14 December 2026 the sky over Blackpool is fully dark from about 18:02, and the moon is only 21% lit, so it is a very good year for them. The Geminids are the richest shower of the year and the radiant is up almost all night.
Yorkshire Dales International Dark Sky Reserve is about 79 km away if you want truly dark skies; otherwise a park or field away from streetlights will still show the brighter meteors.
On 2 August 2027 a partial solar eclipse is visible across the UK, weather permitting. Never look at the sun without certified eclipse glasses.
Blackpool: local questions
Where is the nearest dark sky reserve to Blackpool?
The nearest certified dark-sky place is Yorkshire Dales International Dark Sky Reserve, roughly 79 km away in a straight line.
What time is sunrise in Blackpool on the summer solstice?
About 04:40 BST on 21 June 2027, with sunset about 21:47.
Are there ancient or sacred sites near Blackpool?
Yes. Nearby places include Blackpool Illuminations, Pendle Hill. See the heritage section for details.
How much is delivery to Blackpool?
UK delivery to Blackpool is £3.95 and free on orders over £40. Most orders arrive within 2–5 working days.
Photographs are from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown, resized and converted for the web. Folklore is described as tradition. Starseed UK makes no health claims for any product.