Mike reports from the Third International Starlight Conference at Lake Tekapo in New Zealand

Church of the Good Shepherd – Tekapo. Copyright Fraser Gunn Photography
Two representatives of Sydney Outdoor Lighting Improvement Society (SOLIS), myself and Ken Petersen, recently returned from Lake Tekapo and Mount John Observatory in the South Island of New Zealand. At Lake Tekapo we attended the Third International Starlight Conference where Prof. John Hearnshaw of The University of Canterbury announced that the area surrounding Mt John Observatory and Tekapo has been declared by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a Gold Tier Dark Sky Reserve. This is the largest IDA Dark Sky Reserve so far declared.
Mount John Observatory, like many astronomical observatories, is facing deteriorating darkness of their night sky due to urban pressure from increasing population and the subsequent increase in night time lighting. The Observatory itself is open to the public during the day and also permits some night tours with observing. Under the starry skies of Mount John many of the finer objects of the southern sky stand out in brilliance and the Magellanic Clouds are easily seen.

Mt John Observatory – Lake Tekapo NZ. Copyright Michael Chapman
The Conference ran over three days and covered many topics including Light Pollution, Astro-Tourism, Cultural Astronomy. I attended for ...