Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) has submitted a bid to see whether Galloway Forest Park in south west Scotland meets the International Dark-Sky Association's (IDA) criteria for stargazing.

IDA will now have six weeks to decide if the park's skies are considered dark enough to be awarded Dark Sky status along with the three existing Dark Sky Parks, which are all located in the US. FCS head of tourism and environment in Galloway, Keith Muir, said: "If we get Dark Sky status I'm sure it will be a great boost for [tourism in] the area and a real draw for stargazers wanting to experience some of the clearest skies in Britain.

Two UK board members of the association will visit Galloway Forest Park to help determine the fate of FCS' application, with a decision expected to come shortly after the IDA meets on 14 and 15 November. The first Dark Sky Park status, which recognises a park or public land with "exceptional" starry night skies and natural darkness, was awarded to the Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah, US, in 2006.

Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania, US, was designated as a Dark Sky Park in 2008, while Geauga Park District's Observatory Park is the third US park. Image: Forestry Commission Scotland