Zselic National Landscape Protection Area

The Zselic Starry Sky Park at the Zselic National Landscape Protection Area began as a project between the Duna-Dráva National Park Directorate and the Hungarian Astronomical Association. Established in 1976 to protect the natural assets of the North Zselic region, the park encompasses 9,042 hectares. After the initial proposal signing, the project expanded its outreach by working with the surrounding 17 municipalities and the Lighting Society of Hungary to minimize the communities’ impacts on the park. Finally, the outdoor lighting renovation of the Hotel Kardosfa and the surrounding park recreational buildings to include dark sky friendly lighting assisted in minimizing the light pollution impacts from within the park.

Zselic is one of the best places with close to unaltered dark night skies in Hungary. The Triangulum Galaxy can be seen with the naked eye on clear nights, and the zodiacal light is often visible in spring and autumn.