Home / Local guides / Derry~Londonderry
County Londonderry · Northern Ireland
Spiritual Derry~Londonderry
If you live in or near Derry~Londonderry, 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 Derry~Londonderry's latitude (55.0°N), the heritage and folklore places nearby, and when to order so your crystals, tarot or candles arrive in time.
Derry's city walls. Photo: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Region County Londonderry
- Dark skies OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory
- Delivery UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days
The place to visit
Real photographs, with directions. Tap a map link to open the exact spot.
History, folklore and tips
The history
Derry's walls were built between 1613 and 1619 and are the only completely intact city walls in Ireland, about a mile round. The city's name comes from Doire, Irish for 'oak grove', from the monastery St Columba is said to have founded there.
Folklore and tradition
Derry's Halloween festival is one of the largest in Europe, drawing on the Celtic festival of Samhain.
Visiting tips
- Walk the walls for free at any time.
- The Halloween festival runs for several days around 31 October.
- OM Dark Sky Park in Davagh Forest is about an hour away.
From the shop
Shop for Derry~Londonderry
Samhain and Halloween gifts, delivered to Derry. UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days.
Sky almanac for Derry~Londonderry
Dark skies and stargazing near Derry~Londonderry
Dark skies and stargazing near Derry~Londonderry
The nearest certified dark-sky place to Derry~Londonderry is OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory, Davagh Forest, about 43 km (27 miles) away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park, about 182 km (113 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 OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory, Davagh Forest website.
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Derry~Londonderry
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Derry~Londonderry
At the June solstice on 21 June 2027, the sun rises in Derry~Londonderry at about 04:49 and sets at about 22:12 (BST), giving 17h 22m of daylight, 44 minutes more than in London. At the December solstice on 21 December 2026 it rises at about 08:52 and sets at about 16:02 (GMT), giving only 7h 10m. Around the March equinox (20 March 2027), sunrise is about 06:34 and sunset about 18:41. Between roughly 9 May and 5 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. At Derry~Londonderry's latitude, even nautical twilight lasts all night from about 11 June to 3 July. That gives the long, blue midsummer nights of the north, and is a good time to look for noctilucent clouds low in the northern sky. 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
Autumn and winter give Derry~Londonderry its best skies: darkness comes early and the air is often clearer after a cold front.
For the Perseids in August 2027 the moon is 84% lit and sets over Derry~Londonderry at about 01:14, so the best watching is after moonset and before dawn. Full darkness on 12 August starts around 00:10 at 55.0°N.
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.
Give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust and keep phone screens dim. The nearest certified dark site is OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory, Davagh Forest, about 43 km from Derry~Londonderry.
On 2 August 2027 a partial solar eclipse is visible across the UK, weather permitting. Never look at the sun without certified eclipse glasses.
Derry~Londonderry: local questions
Where is the nearest dark sky reserve to Derry~Londonderry?
The nearest certified dark-sky place is OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory, Davagh Forest, roughly 43 km away in a straight line.
What time is sunrise in Derry~Londonderry on the summer solstice?
About 04:49 BST on 21 June 2027, with sunset about 22:12.
Are there ancient or sacred sites near Derry~Londonderry?
Yes. Nearby places include The city walls, Derry Halloween. See the heritage section for details.
How much is delivery to Derry~Londonderry?
UK delivery to Derry~Londonderry 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.