Carved into black granite is a star chart that mirrors the northern hemisphere’s night sky. The surface of the stone circle is inscribed with the constellations, their names, and a depiction of the Milky Way. Black stone has been chosen to evoke the darkness of deep space. Contrasting with the star chart is a perimeter of silver granite on which 12 seats are positioned. The seats denote the months
of the year. By night, 72 lights illuminate the StarDisc, powered by our nearest star - the Sun. The StarDisc was launched on September 10th 2011. From conception to birth it had taken six years. One thousand well-wishers attended the opening celebrations which included an outdoor screening of Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind and a specially recorded message from astronomer Patrick Moore. The StarDisc commands stunning views over the Ecclesbourne Valley and is open to anyone and everyone, 24hrs a day, all year round.
