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Stargazing
At Matfen Hall

The view from your window is one of the clearest in the country.

Nestled at the gateway to Northumberland’s International Dark Sky Park, the skies above our estate offer an astonishingly clear view of the cosmos. And there’s so much to see.

Follow our guide to autumn/winter stargazing and use your in-room telescope to explore the night skies from the comfort of your luxurious suite.

THE VIEW FROM YOUR WINDOW – AUTUMN/WINTER 2025

Overlooking our 300-acre grounds, your window faces due south.

Use our sky chart to explore the night sky and use our guide below to discover more about the key constellations and celestial sights of autumn and winter.

Constellations and stars will gradually move from east to west as the season progresses – so if you can’t quite spot what you’re looking for, look slightly to the right as it might be on the move!

Pegasus

The famous winged horse of Greek myth – Pegasus is visible in the northern skies in autumn and winter.

Briefly tamed by the hero Bellerophon, Pegasus helped to defeat the fire-breathing Chimera before being claimed by Zeus to draw his thunderbolt chariot. After many years of service, Pegasus was rewarded for his service by being turned into a constellation. Large and not too tricky to spot, he is just left of centre as you look out.

The Little Horse

Just to the right of Pegasus you’ll see another, much smaller, celestial horse. Equuleus, Latin for ‘foal’, it’s known as the little horse and has a few origin stories. Some mythological stories claim that Equuleus is the son of Pegasus, others say he is his brother and yet another that he is born from Poseidon’s trident.

The smallest of all constellations in the northern skies, its triangular shape resembles a horse’s head and is sometimes known as Equus Primus or ‘the first horse’ as it rises just before Pegasus.

Delphinus

In autumn, an area of the night sky known as The Sea comes into view, so named because it contains a cluster of water-related constellations.

Above Equuleus and directly left from the bright star, Altair is diamond-shaped Delphinus – ‘the dolphin.’ According to Greek myth, it represents the dolphin that Poseidon sent to find his wife-to-be Amphitrite who became queen of the sea.

Cetus

Much larger is Cetus – ‘the sea monster.’ Also known as ‘the whale’ it is visible in the far left of the night sky, its tail sitting to the left of the planet Saturn.

The fourth largest constellation in the sky, it is named after Cetus – the sea monster of Greek myth who Andromeda was sacrificed to as punishment for her mother, Cassiopeia’s vanity.

Aquarius

Aquarius is one of the oldest documented constellations, first recorded by Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in the second century BCE.

Aquarius means ‘water bearer’ in Latin – earning this constellation its place in The Sea of the night sky. Also referred to as the ‘cup bearer’ this interpretation refers to the story of Ganymede, a mortal boy taken by Zeus to serve as cup bearer to the gods. The 12th sign of the zodiac, you can find Aquarius just to the right of the planet, Saturn.

THE VIEW FROM THE TERRACE – AUTUMN/WINTER 2025

Keen to see even more? Step outside and turn your gaze skyward for a full, 360 view of the night sky.

Northumberland International Dark Sky Park

Got the stargazing bug? Northumberland’s International Dark Sky Park is Europe’s largest area of protected night sky. And set in its centre is Kielder Observatory.

Book a bespoke experience, arriving by chauffeur for a guided stargazing experience, exploring the heavens with the observatory’s giant telescope.

Find Out More

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Stargazing
At Matfen Hall

The view from your window is one of the clearest in the country.