Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve Explained

Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve
Photo Alt:Mount John Observatory at night
Location:Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand
Nearest Town:Twizel
Area Km2:4367
Designated:2012
Governing Body:International Dark-Sky Association

The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is an area of 4367km2 that was designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark-Sky Association in June 2012. The reserve is located in the Mackenzie District in the South Island of New Zealand. At the time of the designation in 2012, the reserve was the largest in the world, and the only reserve of its type in the Southern Hemisphere.[1] [2]

The area covered by the reserve includes the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park and the Mackenzie Basin, Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo. The main settlements within the reserve are Mount Cook Village, Twizel, and Lake Tekapo (town).[3] [4]

The night sky brightness in the reserve ranks at a level 2 on the nine-level Bortle Dark-Sky Scale, representing a truly dark site with high astronomical observability of celestial objects.[5] [6] The low level of light pollution in the area of the reserve has been supported by a lighting by-law that was included in the Mackenzie District Plan in 1981.[7]

The Mount John University Observatory is located in the reserve, and is the main astronomical research observatory in New Zealand.[8] There is also a star-gazing tourism venture, Dark Sky Project, operating in the Lake Tekapo township.[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 9 June 2012 . New Zealand's Aoraki Mackenzie Named World's Largest International Dark Sky Reserve . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210216060635/https://www.darksky.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/IDA-Aoraki-Mackenzie-PR-Final.pdf . 16 February 2021 . 28 December 2021 . International Dark Sky Association.
  2. News: Gibson . Jacqui . 3 August 2021 . 'There's drama Everywhere': Dark Sky adventure at Takapō . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211006072732/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/go-nz-stargazing-in-mackenzie-country-and-winter-dark-sky-adventures/ANXARIQRPXTUSKILTAZEN2QGWM/ . 6 October 2021 . 6 October 2021 . New Zealand Herald.
  3. Web site: The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve . Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. 4 February 2024.
  4. Web site: Aoraki Mackenzie (New Zealand) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210508060846/https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/reserves/aorakimackenzie/ . 8 May 2021 . 8 May 2021 . International Dark Sky Association.
  5. Book: An Application to the International Dark-Sky Association for a Starlight Reserve in the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park and the Mackenzie Basin of the central South Island of New Zealand . 27 January 2012 . Mackenzie District Council, University of Canterbury, Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand, Department of Conservation . 25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240204040113/https://darksky.org/app/uploads/2018/03/Aoraki_Mackenzie_IDSP_Application.pdf . 4 February 2024.
  6. Web site: Strong . Rebecca . 21 May 2023 . Stunning photos of the night sky in one of the darkest places on Earth will make you want to visit New Zealand ASAP . 4 February 2024 . Business Insider . en-US.
  7. Web site: Downes . Siobhan . 6 January 2017 . New Zealand's greatest gifts: Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve . 4 February 2024 . Stuff.
  8. Web site: Rae . Sally . 4 August 2009 . A tranquil trip to Lake Tekapo . 4 August 2009 . Otago Daily Times.
  9. News: MacDuff . Keiller . 1 December 2021 . Takapō/Tekapo's Dark Sky Project wins top tourism award . 28 December 2021 . Stuff.

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