The Northern Lights, Satellite Trains &

Wild Valley Huts
Sep 8
3 min read

Shooting Stars!

At Wild Valley Huts we have very little light pollution and when we have clear visibility, gazing at the stars is spectacular. Our location isn't recognised as an official 'Dark Skies' area in the UK however, many guests have positively commented on the darkness & silence they experience while here.

On the cloudless nights, when the sky is a picture of beauty, Graeme & I will take a moment to see what's up there. Graeme has more patience than me while we're waiting for our eyes to adjust before identifying the planets & constellations.

Starlink Satellite Train

'...Lucky enough to see shooting stars and the satellite train (look it up) whilst relaxing in the hot tub...'

(Red Kite Guests - Mr & Mrs Page August 2025)

We had a lovely review from our guests and after reading this part of it I immediately had to google 'Satellite Train' to find out what they meant. I've seen shooting stars but a Starlink Satellite Train was new to me.

A Starlink Satellite Train is a spectacular view in the night sky if you are lucky enough to watch the constellation of Starlink satellites soon after the launch of a new batch of them. Starlink Satellite Trains are seen as a series of bright white dots like a string of pearls or a "train" of bright lights moving across the night sky.

Meteor Showers or Shooting Stars

I saw my first shooting star on a night walk, which was magical. It was so bright & so quick; it offered a sense of perspective of how tiny we are in the grand scheme of things.

Meteor showers light up the skies each summer, and are known for their bright, fast-moving meteors - shooting stars.

This August has been host to one of this year's most dazzling displays of meteor showers - Perseids. The Perseids meteor shower is one of the most dramatic things to see in the night sky between July and August, and is a highlight of many meteor hunters' calendars due to its high hourly rate and bright meteors.

To maximise your sightings of the Perseids Meteor Shower in July & August 2026, get in touch and we'll have a spot for you.

The Northern Lights

2024 showcased unusually widespread Northern Lights displays across the UK, due to intense solar activity at its peak in it's 11-year solar cycle. Strong sightings were especially seen in May and October, creating spectacular aurora displays, with the May event potentially being one of the strongest in 500 years.

In May, we had a Northern Lights enthusiast staying in the Cuckoo Hut who had explained to us that she'd been to Iceland, dark sky areas in the UK, Scandinavia to get a glimpse but had never seen them despite it being on her 'wish list.' Being in Maengwynedd Valley Wales, gave her a phenomenal first sighting! Our guest saw some of the strongest sightings in 500 years, while Graeme & I were asleep.

Photo Credits below: Polly Chapman

A guest staying in the Red Kite Hut for a few days of relaxation got even more out of her stay than she imagined. While taking a soak in the hot tub, she also had sightings of the Northern Lights.

Photo credits below: Guest Pip Todd