Wild Skies Shetland

26/10/2026

😯

🌅 THE LAST SUNSET OF 2026 — SVALBARD, NORWAY 🇳🇴

Imagine watching the sun disappear below the horizon, knowing you won’t see it rise again for nearly four months!

On Monday, 26 October 2026, at 12:09 PM, the sun will set for the final time this year in Longyearbyen, Svalbard.

🌑 From 27 October, the Arctic town enters 112 consecutive days without a sunrise, as the sun remains below the horizon until 16 February 2027.

But polar night doesn’t mean complete darkness from day one!

During the first weeks, the Arctic sky will still glow with beautiful shades of blue, pink and purple around midday. As winter deepens, even that twilight disappears, creating the extraordinary darkness of the polar night.

☀️ Although the sun returns above the astronomical horizon in February, the surrounding mountains mean direct sunlight doesn’t reach parts of Longyearbyen until early March.

❄️ 112 days. No sunrise. An entire season beneath the Arctic night sky.

Could you imagine living somewhere the sun disappears for almost four months?

22/10/2026

Astrolabes were essential tools for timekeeping, navigation, astronomy and astrology, revealing how early scholars mapped the cosmos long before the invention of modern telescopes. This one, found in a second-hand shop, is now over 1,000 years old! 💫🤩

19/10/2026

The sun may still be shining but it is definitely getting a little chillier 🥶 If you fancy some new headwear for this winter and would like to get your hands on one of our cosy Wild Skies beanie hats then order online from our shop and we will deliver to your door.

They come in a range of blacks and greys but if you would like a different colour then we can arrange that for you as well.

If you live in Unst and want to collect your purchases instead of paying post & packing, drop us a line at [email protected] and we'll get right back to you.

See the link to our shop in the comments below 👇

10/10/2026

08/10/2026

As the days draw shorter on Unst, the skies are just getting more magical ✨

At 60° North, and with wonderfully little light pollution, autumn is a spectacular time for stargazing and aurora hunting here in Shetland.

Known locally as the Mirrie Dancers, the Northern Lights can ripple and dance across our dark island skies in vibrant shades of green, pink and violet — especially as the nights lengthen through October and November. 💜💚🩷

So keep looking up! 👀✨ And if you’re lucky enough to capture one of these wonderful sky phenomena over the coming weeks, we’d love to see it. 💫

Noticing the nights drawing in? 🌙

October brings a big shift with most of the UK losing over 2 hours of daylight this month.

04/10/2026

Unst looked absolutely stunning for the third and final part of our recces for the Sky Trail by e-bike project! 👀

A huge thank you to our three volunteer cyclists 🚴‍♀️🚴🚴‍♂️ for tackling the North section including the highest point on the island. The climb up to Saxa Vord was certainly challenging but the views were well worth the effort 🌅 The team covered over 21 miles and climbed 1,821 ft – with an average age of 65 🙌😎

This route took in five Sky Stops in total plus local shops, toilets at the Final Checkout and Hermaness NNR and the chance to refuel with tray bakes and cakes from a popular honesty box. The final stop was for a well-deserved coffee at the Otter's Neuk before returning the bikes to Unst Leisure Centre ☕️🍰

It was a great trip in fabulous weather – although we did have to make sure we got back before the high winds arrived! 💨

Wild Skies Shetland Chair Jane Macaulay reported on our progress to the Climate Action Hub last week, alongside other community projects that were awarded funding earlier this year. Our next step is to design a new digital leaflet specifically for cyclists who would like to explore the Sky Trail on two wheels 🚴‍♀️🌈

Fancy giving it a go? E-bikes are available to hire from Unst Leisure Centre – call 01595 807701.

For more information about the Sky Trail 🌞🌝🌎🪐⭐️🌈☁️ email [email protected] or follow the link in the comments👇

29/09/2026

Wool Week is happening right now and Shetland is totally buzzing with knitters 🧶😜

We’re very excited that we have another hat design on the way for you to knit this autumn / winter. Inspired by the Northern Lights the colours are looking fabulous and the design is stunning 🩷💚💜 we couldn’t wait to tell you about it!

Today we were out doing a photo shoot for the cover before tomorrow’s gales kick in 😳💨

Follow along and you’ll be one of the first to hear when it is ready to purchase.

Stay safe all 😊

28/09/2026

We would like to say a huge thank you to Jodie Sutherland, who came to Unst last week to give talks at Baltasound Junior High School and Baltasound Hall.

The school pupils listened with interest as she described events and processes within our Solar System, including how asteroids were formed 🌠 then they took part in an online quiz. Later that evening, an audience at Baltasound Hall enjoyed an equally fascinating talk about meteorites, with real-life examples on display for everyone to see – and handle! ☄️

Thank you Jodie for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm with us. We’re already looking forward to welcoming you back to Unst next year for some geology-related presentations and activities! 🌍🪨

26/09/2026

Keep your eyes on the skies 👀