This article has links to products and services we love, which we may make commission from.
While stargazing in a city might seem counterintuitive, Edinburgh has the iconic Arthur’s Seat, which offers panoramic views of the sky, and the city’s Royal Observatory, with its regular public events and powerful telescopes. Venturing just outside of Edinburgh, darker skies at areas like the Pentland Hills or Newbattle Abbey College offer an even more immersive stargazing experience.
Stargazing in Edinburgh
Arthur’s Seat
Arthur’s Seat is one of the city’s most prominent landmarks and a popular tourist attraction that appears on most Edinburgh weekend itineraries.
Locals and visitors walk up Arthur’s Seat to exercise and enjoy views of the Old and New Towns.
On a clear day, you can see the Forth Bridges and over to The Kingdom of Fife.
Film fans may recognise Arthur’s Seat and its Salisbury Crags from Trainspotting with Ewan McGregor and One Day with Anne Hathaway, or the Netflix TV show.
It takes less than an hour to walk to the summit, and a well-trodden path will get you there.
However, it is recommended you do this hike in daylight before you attempt to walk up it at night, as it can be rocky underfoot.
There’s also a bit of scrambling at the top, depending on what path you take.
The hill has no barrier protection, just a cliff edge, so don’t get too caught up in the views; watch your step.
Calton Hill
Calton Hill is an easier hike than Arthur’s Seat, as it takes less than 10 minutes to reach the top.
The old City Observatory is located here, next to the monument dedicated to John Playfair, the first president of the Edinburgh Astronomical Society.
Also known as the Playfair Observatory, John’s nephew, William Henry Playfair, designed this wonderful piece of architecture, which resembles a Greek temple.
Over the years, it has changed hands, and parts have been added.
Today, it houses the Collective, a contemporary art gallery.
Locals head to Calton Hill to get a decent view of fireworks going off in the city, for example, on New Year’s Eve.
If you plan to visit Calton Hill at dawn, you will most likely rub shoulders with photographers.
It is a favoured spot for Instagram photography fans, with views of Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh Castle, The Balmoral, and Princes Street.
Read next: The Best Photography Spots in Edinburgh.
Blackford Hill
Yes, another hill, Edinburgh, is known for its seven hills, so they are a good start for stargazing.
Blackford Hill is important to astronomy as it is where the Visitor Centre of The Royal Observatory Edinburgh is located.
Its distinctive A-listed green dome is known to walkers who enjoy the nature of The Hermitage around it.
When the original City Observatory on Calton Hill was threatened with demolition in the late 1800s, the Royal Observatory Edinburgh on Blackford Hill was born.
It still owns the original books and equipment donated by Lord Lindsay (Earl of Crawford), which includes works of Newton and Galileo.
If you don’t fancy walking up Blackford Hill in the dark, you can join a virtual event hosted by the ROE or one of their Astronomy Talks.
The ROE is a working environment; all visits must be pre-arranged and pre-booked.
Corstorphine Hill
The final Edinburgh hill in our stargazing guide is Corstorphine.
The viewpoint three-quarters of the way up the hill is a little shaded with woodlands, but it does provide excellent views of Edinburgh Castle.
This photographer caught a cracker of a picture from this hill when the full moon shone above Edinburgh Castle.

Stargazing Spots Within One Hour of Edinburgh
Moving away from the city of Edinburgh, you will find better opportunities to see stars at night.
Within an hour of leaving Edinburgh by car or public transport, star chasers will reach the coastal regions of The Kingdom of Fife and East Lothian.
The bigger towns in both areas are quite built up and residential, with lights restricting stargazing.
Cloud coverage can also be an enemy.
However, there will be some nights when the skies are clear, and you will see a flutter of stars with the naked eye.
St Andrews in Fife has a working observatory at its university that hosts events.
It is home to the James Gregory Telescope, the largest operational telescope in Scotland.
Stargazing Spots Within Three Hours of Edinburgh
As you might know, some fabulous spots for stargazing across the Kingdom of Scotland exist.
Here are a few of the best places within a few hours’ drive from Edinburgh.
Galloway Forest Park
No stargazing in Scotland guide is complete without mentioning the UK’s first Dark Sky Park in the country’s south.
Galloway Forest Park comprises 777 square kilometres of forest, lochs and low hills.
The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory can also be found in this dark park, which has a public observatory.
Moffat
Another 1.5 hours away from Galloway is Moffat, Europe’s very first Dark Sky Town.
The town has special street lights to keep light pollution to a minimum.
It took the town three years to win the Dark Sky Town award, and they are proud that they can offer winter tourists the chance to enjoy 2 to 3 more stars than street-lit towns.
Tomintoul and Glenlivet
At the very tip of Cairngorms National Park is Tomintoul, the Cairngorms Dark Sky Park and the UK’s most northerly.
You can see constellations, shooting stars, and the Milky Way at this park.
The magical Aurora Borealis has also been spotted from this area, with Tomintoul Field of Hope cited as a potential viewing place.
How Good is the Stargazing in Edinburgh?
While you can see stars on the stage and at sports games in Edinburgh, the visibility of stars in the sky is pretty poor.
If you are visiting Scotland and are dead set on experiencing a Disney-like sky, make your way to the Highlands and Islands or South West Scotland for undisrupted dark skies with a sea of stars.
Again, since Scotland’s weather is never predictable, give yourself a few nights in rural locations for maximum opportunity for stargazing.
Best Times of Year to Go Stargazing in Edinburgh
As you might imagine for any part of the U.K., Edinburgh has a temperate climate with some cloud cover.
June and July are typically the clearest and warmest months, which makes them ideal for planning a trip to Edinburgh that also includes stargazing.
If you have the flexibility, you might even chance the clouds to see the Perseid meteor shower in mid-August.
Other Space-Related Experiences in Edinburgh
In addition to the night sky – or if clouds foil your plans –there are a few other space-related experiences to enjoy in Edinburgh.
Dynamic Earth
Just underneath Arthur’s Seat is Dynamic Earth, a state-of-the-art family attraction that takes visitors through history from the Big Bang to the present.
This is home to Edinburgh’s only large-scale planetarium, which boasts a newly upgraded projection system.
Expert astronomers and science communicators present live shows using footage during Planetarium shows, which are usually aimed at school class trips.
However, there are some 6K shows for paying members of the public, such as Planets 360, a reimagining of British composer Gustav Holst’s The Planets orchestral suite, which mixes art, music, and science into a 360-degree immersive experience.
Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh has been active since 1924 and continues to meet at least three times a month through a series of events and talks as part of their Imaging & Observing Group (IOG).
You can also find an observing forecast for Edinburgh on the ASE website.
Edinburgh Science Festival
The Edinburgh Science Festival is an annual multi-day event hosted in various venues throughout the city. Events include outdoor exhibitions, tours and trails, workshops, discussions, and family shows.
Ready to give stargazing in Edinburgh a try?
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns in the comments below!
Share this to help others enjoy the night sky!
