Scotland's first Dark Sky Sanctuary
We are so proud to have one of the darkest skies in Scotland.
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In August 2024, we were named Scotland's first Dark Sky Sanctuary - we're one of only two in the UK, and just over 20 in the entire world.
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Our island has been advocating for our skies for years. Over 80 per cent of Rum is now in compliance with guidelines set out by the International Dark Sky Sanctuary - when you visit, you'll notice there are no street lights, lights on our houses face downwards, and it paves the way for the most glorious night skies.
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This tool shows the stars above our Bunkhouse right now
Our journey
While Scotland has five designated International Dark Sky Places, we are the first area to be designated as a Sanctuary following stricter night sky quality criteria to reflect our remote location and naturally dark night skies. There are just 22 other International Dark Sky Sanctuaries worldwide, with only one other in Europe – Ynys Enlli or Bardsey Island in Wales.
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It doesn't just help keep pollution down. It's also vital for the survival of our island's main residents - one of the world's largest populations of a nocturnal seabird known as the Manx Shearwater. More than 120,000 pairs descend on Rum each year, representing around 25% of the world’s breeding population. Fledglings - which we call Manxies - are very active night and are very attracted to artificial light. And so, when it's time for them to leave the safe shores of Rum and make their first flight out to sea, light pollution can disorient them. They can crash on land and never reach the sea or their destination.
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What's next?
But our work doesn't stop there. We have the title, but now the heavy lifting begins. We have so many exciting ideas and plans to improve our environment and use our beautiful surroundings to invite more people to experience our night sky.
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It's truly never been a more exciting time to visit Rum. Your support of our island's economy means we can push forward with plans to make the sky even more accessible - telescopes, an all-sky camera, and weather station are all part of our long-term plans to show off everything the sky has to offer. We'll be working closely with Scotland-based astronomers to pull together a programme of stargazing events, and can't wait to share details with you.