10th February 2012: Public talk, 8 pm, Lake Tekapo Community Hall.
In a thought-provoking and fascinating lecture, Dr. Robert Jedicke from the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy will enlighten us as to the threat posed to Earth by impacts from space in a presentation entitled "Killer Asteroids ... and what we can do about them." All are welcome to the Lake Tekapo Community Hall, Friday, February 10th at 8 pm. For an interactive map with directions, please click here.
10th November 2011: The Winners of the Earth & Sky National Astronomy Speech Competition 2011.
Our first annual school speech competition received a large number of high-quality entries. The nail biting is over as the results are now in! Click here to read all about the competition, the judges and the triumphant winners.
1st October 2011: Introduction to DSLR Astrophotography
Interest in astrophotography has really taken off in the last few years, with more people carrying around DSLR or suitably powerful compact cameras. This workshop will allow you to experience introductory astrophotography while also allowing you to take a peek through the telescopes used for our regular astronomy tours! For more information, please click here.
23rd September 2011: Stunning 360° Mt John tour by Panthrough
Marianne Annereau, Principal of Panthrough, a Perth-based Australian virtual tours company, has given us permission to exhibit her stunning interactive panoramic view of Mount John's summit beside the Astro Café — we all agree that it's the next best thing to being here!
26th August 2011: Earth & Sky wins Hospitality & Tourism Award
At the 2011 South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Hospitality & Tourism Awards, Caroline Bay Hall, Timaru, Earth & Sky won best Visitor Attraction Experience. Many thanks to all those who voted for us — we are so proud!
12th August 2011: Follow Earth & Sky on Facebook
9th August 2011: Astro Café ‘Table Talkers’ promotion
Now you can drink great coffee, dine on fine food, plus get a discount on your tour! Just visit the Astro Café and sample our 'Table Talker'. There’s a fun little quiz on one side, while on the other there is a promotion advertising a $5 discount on our night tours and a 10% discount on retail products. To redeem this discount, customers must present a receipt worth $20 or more from the Café when they are at the point of sale in the shop/reception.
19th July 2011: Minor planet named after Lake Tekapo
20th May 2011: Could planets outnumber stars in our Galaxy?
In this Sky & Telescope news feature, we learn more about the fascinating exoplanet research conducted here at Mt. John Observatory.
4th April 2011: Global Astronomy Dark Skies Week
As part of Global Astronomy Month, this week has been set aside as Dark Skies Week. Earth & Sky will use candlelight in the office at night and on Saturday 9th we’re throwing a Star Party at Cowan's Hill (6pm-9pm) to celebrate!
4th February 2011: Earth & Sky’s YouTube Channel
How would you like to see hundreds of resident astrophotographer Fraser Gunn’s breathtaking night sky images turned into stunning time-lapse movies of the Tekapo night sky? See examples of Fraser’s unique talents by clicking here, or the preview below (if you have a fast Internet connection, always select the 720HD version of the movie):
and a new shop!
The Astrograph building’s refurbishment on Mount John means that we have a new shop — the Astronomer’s Den — next door to the Astro Café! Here you’ll find all manner of astro-themed merchandise from pens and puzzles to t-shirts, books, posters, 2011 almanacs and planispheres.
15th December 2010: A new large telescope for our Cowan’s Hill Observatory
Not all of our stargazing activities are at Mount John since we also have an observatory to the east of Tekapo at Cowan’s Hill. This has just been equipped with a new 14-inch Sky-watcher GoTo Dobsonian telescope, greatly enhancing the range of activities we can offer there.
18th October 2010: A new Weather page for Mount John
In conjunction with Daisuke Suzuki and the MOA dome environmental monitoring system, Earth & Sky is pleased to deliver weather information for the summit of Mt John updated every minute throughout the day and night. For more information, please click here.
14th September 2010: A new Scenic Day Tour starting November 2010
Earth & Sky is pleased to announce a new daytime tour encompassing various items of interest in the Lake Tekapo region followed by a visit to the Mt John Observatory with morning tea, lunch or afternoon tea (depending on departure time) at the Astro Café. For full details, please click here.
4th August 2010: Plans for a world starlight heritage reserve in the Mackenzie moves a step closer after Brasilia meeting
New Zealand is right on track to create one of the world’s first world heritage starlight reserve above the South Island’s Mackenzie country after a key meeting in Brasilia yesterday.
Former Cabinet minister Margaret Austin said the UNESCO world heritage committee approved support for monuments and sites, landscapes and cultural landscapes associated with astronomy to be recognised as part of human heritage.
The NZ delegation, including two Department of Conservation staff, helped persuade the committee to approve a thematic study which argued stars and planets were part of natural heritage and the sky was a cultural resource common to natural heritage.
However, Austin said from Brasilia today there was still a long road before protecting the world’s starry nights with dark sky reserves. She said New Zealand’s contribution from the Royal Society of NZ, the Royal Astronomical Society of NZ and UNESCO NZ was acknowledged at the Brasilia meeting.
"The thematic study was regarded as a cornerstone project of UNESCO’s International Year of Astronomy 2009. As a member of the New Zealand observer team I was able to make a brief intervention in support of the study."
"The World Heritage Committee has adopted a decision covering the astronomy and world heritage thematic study to disseminate the study among the member states.
"Consequently the first step on the long road to nomination is achieved. Now New Zealand must prepare a detailed document, providing the evidence of outstanding universal value, its integrity and authenticity for the site, obtain the approval of all the parties concerned and adoption by the New Zealand Government in order to eventually present the case for the Lake Tekapo Aoraki/Mt Cook initiative as a `window to the universe’.’’
The New Zealand project proposes that the landscape and the skies above Lake Tekapo and Aoraki Mt Cook in the Mackenzie district become a starlight reserve.
Few places remain in the world where people can enjoy the stars pollution free. Fifty percent of the world's people no longer see the stars, those places that do, had got a responsibility to preserve them as the world was fast losing opportunities to observe the night sky, Austin said.
Media advisory: For further information, comment, photos, camera, or interviews contact Margaret Austin on 0274 923 244 or Kip Brook of Word of Mouth Media NZ on 0275 033855
16th July 2010: Tekapo's night sky and why it is so special featured on the Nine To Noon programme on Radio New Zealand National. You can download the 3.9MB podcast in MP3 format by clicking here.
16th July 2010: Professor John Hearnshaw of Canterbury University spoke about about the plan for Tekapo to become a Starlight Reserve on TVNZ Breakfast. You can watch the video by clicking here.
New tour: we are pleased to announce a new product for March 2010 — a Sunset Tour with inclusive refreshments at the Astro Café on Mount John. For more details, please click here.
"Sky-park to be a world first in Tekapo" [3 min. video]: Tekapo is one step closer to becoming the base for the world's first heritage starlight reserve (source: ONE news)
Just a short walk from our former office in the centre of Lake Tekapo township and conveniently situated next door to the new i-Site information centre, our new building has plenty of room to display our growing range of star-themed merchandise as well as providing a comfortable checking-in area.
We look forward to seeing you there!
More media: "New Zealand confirmed as one of five world heritage night sky reserve sites to go to Rio meeting next year" (source: Word of Mouth Media NZ)
"Kiwi found in outer space" (source: National News, TVNZ — see also our Press Release page)
"Tekapo night sky among world's best" (source: The Timaru Herald), "UN backs bid to preserve Lake Tekapo night sky" (source: Radio New Zealand News), "New Zealand town is in the dark — and proud of it" (source: Yahoo! News), "Starlight star bright" (source: The Timaru Herald), "Sky reserve promoted in Paris" (source: Otago Daily Times) and "NZ Bid To Secure Tekapo As A World Night Sky Reserve Needs To Move Fast With Government Support" (source: Voxy.co.nz)
"Tekapo, New Zealand: Best Starllight Make-Out Spot" (source: blackbookmag.com). TVNZ's national news webpage (source: NZPA) highlights "Tekapo sky pushes for heritage status" (video included) and "World-first stargazing for Tekapo". Also, The Telegraph (U.K.) asks "Could New Zealand host the first world heritage site in the sky?" in an article by Kineta Knight.
Fact: A recent AirNZ survey of Japanese tourists revealed that a staggering 72% of them chose to travel to New Zealand for the exceptional stargazing that it offers.
Q&A section: have you a question about the stars, Sun, Moon or planets that you've always puzzled over? We may not have answers to everything, but our experienced Guides will be able to shed light on most of your unresolved astro-related queries at the bottom of our What's Up? page!
It's always gratifying to receive kudos for the work that we do here from guests (please see our feedback page), so when we also receive mention in the New Zealand press and travel guides we like to show our appreciation by sharing the news with you!
New Zealand's AA Travel website also made mention of our stargazing tours, making the top five in its 101 Must-Do Weekend activities for visitors to Lake Tekapo and the Canterbury district.
Earth & Sky Ltd., P.O. Box 112, Lake Tekapo 7945, New Zealand.
E-mail: info@earthandsky.co.nz
Phone: +64 (0)3 6806960 Fax: +64 (0)3 6806950
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