This year’s instalment of the Hebridean Dark Skies Festival gets under way this Friday as the finishing touches on the ambitious two-week programme of events are being carved out.
The festival, which brings together live music, film, theatre, visual art, food, astronomy talks and stargazing, is visiting a number of sites across the Western Isles.
A packed programme of events is planned for An Lanntair in Stornoway with other venues including Calanais Visitor Centre, Uig Sands restaurant, The Edge Cafe at Gallan Head, Kinloch Community Hub and Ness Historical Society.
Proceedings begin with a free opening night at An Lanntair which includes a free drinks reception and the opportunity to meet festival guests.
There will also be the opportunity to visit two of the festival exhibitions, which are entitled Creativity and Curiousity and the Dark Skies Photography Exhibition.
As part of the festival, the isle of Lewis will hold its first “Visual Moonbounce” on February 8.
Images will be transported to the moon and back as radio signals in real time during the event, which has been described as a “live Networked Performance between the Earth and the moon”.
Sky at Night presenter Chris Lintott will perform among the headline acts, alongside singer-songwriter Karine Polwart, at the second instalment of the event.
The 2020 festival will be dedicated to the memory of Professor John Brown, a supporter, who died at the end of November.