Butser Hill Dark Sky Discovery Site
Address: Hampshire County Council Car Park off Limekiln Lane, Petersfield, East Hampshire, GU31 5SP
Parking: The above postcode takes you to the car park at the top of Butser Hill, Alternatively you could park adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park Visitor Centre at the bottom of the hill just off the A3. Parking charges at both car parks apply. Pay by using the Pay & display machine. Visit the Hampshire County Council website for more information; https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryparks/qecp/visit-us/parking
Location: Butser Hill is a biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, also a National Nature Reserve and part of the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, this observing site is the highest point in Hampshire and benefits from a rural location and good dark skies. The name Butser comes from the Old English Bryttes Oran meaning Briht’s slope. Oran or Ora is Old English for flat topped hill and/or steep slope.
Butser Hill has a rich variety of flora and fauna located upon the hill and is in the top twenty Hampshire chalk grassland sites for its rich vascular flora, and is the richest chalk grassland site in Hampshire. As well as this, over 30 species of butterfly have been recorded, including populations of Duke of Burgundy and the Silver-spotted Skipper, making the area an important conservation area for many butterfly species.
For detailed astronomy information visit the GoStargazing website; https://gostargazing.co.uk/events/locations/butser-hill/