A NEW tourism map highlighting Scotland’s links to space exploration and the first moonwalk has been released on the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11.
It coincides with the 50th anniversary year of VisitScotland.
The Scotland is Out of this World trail is part of the campaign, for which BuzzBò, the world’s first Highland Coosmonaut soared 36,000m into near space wearing an Armstrong tartan spacesuit.
The toy was launched by Sent Into Space.
Footage of him lifting off by weather balloon from Gilnockie Tower, the ancestral home of Clan Armstrong, and landing safely near Cranshaws in the Scottish Borders, was released on Tuesday on #Coosday.
BuzzBò was named by Peter Lunan, seven, of Dunblane, who won the national name the High-land Coosmonaut competition.
The name derives from Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, and the Gaelic word for cow, Bò.
It is on display at the Edinburgh iCentre on the Royal Mile this summer.
The trail features connections to each planet in the solar system and fun facts and details of science centres and the best places to stargaze.
The campaign, launched at Langholm primary school in May, marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.
Ohio-born Neil Armstrong was said to be proud of his Scottish heritage.
Dark skies have been identified by travel guide publisher Lonely Planet as a key tourism trend for 2019.
VisitScotland’s Insight team has created a research paper examining the opportunities for tourism businesses to engage with the trend.
Scotland is home to two International Dark Sky Parks: Galloway Forest Park; and Tomintoul and Glenlivet in Cairngorms National Park, a Dark Sky Island (Isle of Coll) and a Dark Sky Town (Moffat).
Malcolm Roughead, chief executive, said: “It’s fitting that in our anniversary year we travelled into space in a truly ‘out of this world’ campaign.
“It offers the chance to celebrate the country’s contribution to space exploration and astronomy and its ancestral links to one of history’s greatest moments.
“Our best views aren’t confined to our awe-inspiring landscapes but reach high into the night sky as well.”
Alex Keen, head of communications and launch specialist from Sent into Space, said: “Launching at Gilnockie Tower was a real treat, given its connections to Clan Armstrong.
“We were blown away by the beautiful and dramatic landscape we crossed as we pursued the Coosmonaut.”