National Geographic ranks Kaavi dark-sky centre second in Europe

National Geographic has named the Syrjävaara Dark Sky Centre in Kaavi, Finland, the second-best stargazing destination in Europe, Yle reports. The magazine incorrectly described the municipality as being in Finnish Lapland.

In an article published in mid-September, the US science and travel magazine praised Lapland’s remote, dramatic landscapes as ideal for stargazing. Syrjävaara is in North Savo, on the border with North Karelia, about 90 kilometres from Kuopio and 60 kilometres from Joensuu.

Centre owner Olli Reijonen said he was not concerned about the mistake, noting that the article links to the centre’s website. “One word is off, so what? It doesn’t matter,” he said. He added that the international attention was significant for Syrjävaara.

The centre received further recognition in August, when it became Finland’s first recipient of an International Dark Sky Park certification from Dark Sky International, an organisation that works to preserve dark night skies and reduce light pollution.

Reijonen expects the attention to have a practical effect next year, saying autumn is a quiet season. The dark-sky park is open year-round and has a free, self-service area. Its visitor centre is due to close for the winter in about a month.