A personal safety guide for astronomers and astrophotographers

 Let’s Talk about Safety

We chase the stars … but the dark can bite back. Here’s the safety guide every night‑shoot astrophotographer and/or astronomer needs.

The night Maggie nearly collected my life insurance! 

We astrophotographers are a curious breed. We wander around in the dark, often in remote places with narrow cliffside paths and trip hazards galore - sleep‑deprived, laser‑focused on tiny screens, chasing photons across the cosmos.

But how much attention do we give to our own safety? Is it part of our astrophotography workflow, or just an afterthought as dawn breaks on the eastern horizon?

Real‑World Encounters That Remind You Why Safety Matters

If you’ve ever been alone in a car park at midnight when a convoy of youths turns up for donut driving, you’ll know the feeling. I’ve had that happen on Dartmoor - unsettling doesn’t begin to cover it.

In Slovenia, while doing deep‑space astrophotography outside the motorhome, I came face‑to‑face with a wild wolf - inquisitive, intimidating, and only 30 yards away. The campsite warden at Plitvic Lakes wasn’t joking when he said, “Pack up by 2:30 a.m.” A bear that wandered through later was huge.

At Durdle Door, I slipped and fell down a slope - Maggie almost collected the life insurance. 

In Arizona, a rattlesnake encounter raised my pulse faster than any meteor shower. In Utah canyon country, a farm alley cat brushed against my legs at 3 a.m. - in mountain lion territory. Terrifying doesn’t quite capture the emotion.

And the two guys on a motorbike at Wembury Beach car park? Midnight, purposeful stride, adrenaline pumping - they only wanted a charging cable for a flat smartphone. Idiots scared living daylights out of me. 

You get the picture. The night sky is beautiful, but the shooting location isn’t always benign.

 

My Safety Philosophy

I come from an outdoor education background — fieldwork, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, high‑mountain leadership, international travel. So, my safety mantra is simple:

Plan like a mountaineer, move like a cautious, nervous hiker and think like an emergency services worker/volunteer.

I assume I’ll be tired, cold, distracted, and at risk - and I build safeguards around those assumptions. I know things will go wrong eventually, so I make sure I’m findable, reachable, and able to help myself for a few hours if needed. If rescue is required, I want to make it quick and efficient - not a major search‑and‑hope scenario.

This needs some unpacking doesn’t it.  It isn’t a comprehensive list and I’m not trying to teach ‘granny to suck eggs’ either. I’m just saying ‘make risk assessment and safety planning part of your normal astrophotography planning workflow’. Give it the attention it needs!

 

Pre‑Trip Planning and Location Research

• Scout in daylight. Note paths, drops, loose ground, tide lines, gates, livestock, and parking. Walk your route with your rucksack gear in mind.
• If you can’t visit, use maps. Satellite view and Street View reveal cliffs, rivers, quarries, and awkward access points.
• Check access and ownership. Respect private land, fences, and locked gates — sneaking in is unsafe and bad for the community.
• Log key info. GPS coordinates, nearest road or village, hospital distance, mobile coverage (and where it drops).

Think of it as your mission briefing before venturing into the dark.

 

Weather, Environment, and Night‑Specific Risks

Weather and Temperature

Don’t just check for “clear skies.” Look at cloud cover, wind, temperature, humidity, and dew risk. High humidity and wind can turn a safe night into a miserable one. In winter or coastal spots, hypothermia is a real risk - dress for being still, not walking. Layer up: thermal base, hat, gloves, warm socks, and maybe hand warmers or heated socks. Standing still under the stars is colder than you think.

Terrain and Darkness

Human night vision is poor - cliffs and holes vanish into shadow. Move slowly, test the ground, and avoid edges. Use a headtorch with red mode to protect night vision, but keep a bright white option for emergencies. Carry a backup torch and spare batteries - losing your only light source is catastrophic.

Wildlife and Livestock

Stay aware. Rural sites host deer, foxes, badgers, cattle, horses - and sometimes bigger wildlife. When touring dark‑sky sites in the southwest USA, park rangers constantly reminded us: listen for movement. Don’t corner animals; give them space. Keep food sealed - strong smells attract unwanted visitors – in the UK I have had foxes, badgers and hedgehogs. It has been bears, wolves and snakes elsewhere!

 

Personal Safety and Communication: “Being Findable”

Before you go, tell someone:

• Where you’re going (GPS or map link)
• When you expect to be back
• What car you’re in and where it’s parked

Set a rule: “If I haven’t texted by X time, start checking.” That simple plan can save hours in an emergency.

Keep your phone charged and carry a power bank. In remote areas, use a satellite communicator (I pair my Garmin inReach with my phone for easier texting). Know your signal map - there are black holes along the South Devon coast and Dartmoor.

 

Vehicle, Travel, and Fatigue Management

Driving at Awkward Hours

Between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. your body hits its lowest alertness. Rest before driving home or sleep in the vehicle if you’re exhausted - better a nap than a crash.

Vehicle Readiness

Treat your car like a mini base camp:

• Blanket or sleeping bag
• Water and snacks
• Basic tools and tyre kit
• Ice scraper or de‑icer in winter

Parking Safely

Don’t block roads or gates. Avoid soft verges that can collapse or bog down your vehicle - especially in winter.

 

Gear Safety and Practical Strategies

Essential Safety Kit

Keep it simple but effective:

• Headtorch + spare
• Spare batteries
• First aid kit
• Emergency blanket or bivvy bag
• Power bank
• Whistle
• Paper map or offline map
• Compass (and know how to use it)
• Snap light stick
• Garmin inReach or similar

Working Safely in the Dark

• Mark tripod legs with reflective tape.
• Route cables so you won’t trip over them
• Avoid cliff edges - vegetation hides danger. (Ask me how I know!)
• Keep spare batteries warm in an inner pocket.
• Don’t drain your car battery with gear; use a dedicated power box.

 

Solo vs Buddy System

I’m a soloist by nature - always have been. But here’s the contradiction: shooting with someone is safer.

Buddy System

Two sets of eyes and ears, shared navigation, and help if you fall or get ill. Three people? Even better - one stays with the injured person while another goes for help. And let’s be honest: two or three astrophotographers are less likely to attract unwanted attention.

If You Must Shoot Solo

Double down on:

• Location research
• Communication backup (carry your satellite messenger on your person)
• Check‑in plan with someone at home

Be conservative with terrain - skip risky cliff‑edge compositions. Choose spots within sight or calling distance of housing. Some Dartmoor locations are remote and attract strange visitors at night - unsettling doesn’t begin to describe it.

 

Environmental and Community Etiquette

Safety includes respect:

• Avoid unsafe buildings and ruins - hidden holes, rotten floors, loose masonry.
• Minimise light pollution - shield torches, use red light, and don’t blind fellow astrophotographers. A sudden white flash can temporarily blind someone near a cliff - politeness and safety go hand in hand.

 

Mental Safety and Mindset

Stay situationally aware. Don’t get so locked into your camera that you miss sounds, movement, or weather changes. Every 10–15 minutes, do a 360° scan - sky, horizon, ground, animals, people, weather. And know when to abort. If wind picks up, fog rolls in, or you feel uneasy, leave. The stars will wait; your safety won’t.

 

Simple Safety Checklist Before Every Night Shoot

Keep this note on your phone:

• Location: visited in daylight or researched; access legal and safe.
• Weather: forecast checked (cloud, wind, temp, humidity, dew, moon).
• Clothing: layers, hat, gloves, warm socks, waterproof outer.
• Safety kit: headtorch + spare, first aid, emergency blanket, whistle, power bank.
• Communication: phone charged, coverage known, someone informed; satellite device if remote.
• Vehicle: fuel, warm gear, water, snacks, safe parking.
• Plan: start time, end time, route, “if I’m not back by…” rule.
• Mindset: ready to leave if conditions or gut feeling say “no.”

 

Final Thought

Astrophotography is about chasing light - but don’t let darkness chase you back. Make safety part of your workflow, not an afterthought. Because the best images are taken by photographers who live to shoot another night. That is the way they gain experience and expertise!

As always, keep looking up - have fun and stay safe out there 

Steve

aka #plymouthastroboy