Learn about what's happening at Earth and Sky

Earth & Sky News

17th & 18th May 2013: Mt. John Observatory Community Nights

All are welcome to our annual fundraiser in aid of Lake Tekapo School, Friday 17th & Saturday 18th May 2013, 6:30pm to 9pm (adults $20, secondary students $5, primary $2 [cash only, please]; under fives free). Park at the base of Mt. John (click here for a Google interactive map) for a shuttle bus up to the observatory. The Astro Café will be open for refreshments. Dress very warmly and bring a small torch for a fascinating guided tour of a professional astronomical research facility! Click here or the graphic to download the poster (132KB PDF).

20th April 2013: Global Star Party at Cowan’s Observatory

Celebrate Global Astronomy Month with Earth & Sky at our Cowan’s Observatory! Don’t miss this unique stargazing evening, located inside the largest Dark Sky Reserve in the World. Please see our Promotion webpage for full details, or click the image right to download the poster (500KB PDF).

10th December 2012: Earth & Sky makes

101 Must-Do's for Kiwis list

All at Earth & Sky are thrilled that out of the 280,000 votes cast by Kiwis across the country with 1,600+ experiences to choose from, we came 33rd out of the top 101 NZ attractions 2012. A heart-felt thank you for all who voted for us!

2nd December 2012: TVNZ ONE News — Stars bright in Mackenzie District

Stars_bright_in_Mackenzie_District_ONE_News

Visitors flock to see the stars in the world’s largest dark sky reserve — in the Mackenzie District (click image to view the video on

ONE News website).

16th November 2012: 150th A&P Show, Christchurch
earth_and_sky_a_and_p_christchurch

The crews from Earth & Sky, Tekapo Springs and Air Safaris spreading the good word about Lake Tekapo to some of the thousands of visitors to the 150th Christchurch A&P Show.

8th September 2012: Earth & Sky wins another Tourism Award!

At the prestigious New Zealand Travel Industry Awards Gala Dinner held at The Langham Hotel, Auckland on Saturday, 8th September 2012, Earth & Sky Ltd. received the runner up award in the Best Tourism Operator — Domestic category. Once again, our sincere thanks for all who voted for us!

24th August 2012: Earth & Sky wins Hospitality & Tourism Award

At the 2012 South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards ceremony, Earth & Sky won the Hospitality & Tourism — Large Enterprise category. Margaret Munro (General Manager) and Satoshi Nagaoka (Japanese Tour Manager) are shown accepting the award. Many thanks to all those who voted for us!

18th July 2012: 27 sights that will remind you how incredible Earth is

Clear, pollution-free skies has resulted in New Zealand beating Australia in an ultimate travel bucket list comprised by an influential news website.

The star-filled sky above Mackenzie Basin, which was last month named the world's newest dark sky reserve, has been ranked fifth on a list of 27 sights to remind sight-seers "how incredible Earth is".

Authors behind the CNN International travel guide say: "These amazing spectacles may not change your life, but they should change your vacation plans."

While watching the sun rise at 9th-century Buddhist monument Borobudur in Java, Indonesia, topped the US broadcaster's list, the South Canterbury skies beat the ancient sights of Venice, Mexican jungle pyramids, American electrical storms, and Australia's top entry — Sydney Harbour — at number 12.

The compilers wrote about Mackenzie Basin: "Picking out Orion's Belt and The Big Dipper is even more impressive if there are a million other stars distracting you from the task."

A 1600-square-mile area in New Zealand's South Island comprising Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park and the Mackenzie Basin has just been designated the world's fourth International Dark Sky Reserve, making it "one of the best stargazing sites on Earth", according to International Dark-Sky Association's executive director Bob Parks.

The inclusion of a Kiwi sight higher than our cross-Tasman friends rankled Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper, which wrote: "And while the absence of our famous Barrier Reef or the 12 Apostles might come as a shock to nature lovers, the inclusion of a New Zealand attraction is sure to put a few Aussie noses out of joint, especially when it outranks us."

Source: APNZ

25th June 2012: New Zealand Travel Industry Awards 2012

Earth & Sky is proud to have been nominated for the 2012 New Zealand Travel Industry Awards in Category 17: Best Tour Operator - Domestic. People from all areas of the industry, from travel agencies and brokers, to tour and cruise operators, airlines, travel media, hotels and suppliers, will gather together at the New Zealand Travel Industry Awards Gala Dinner on Saturday, 8th September 2012 at The Langham Hotel, Auckland. (In order to vote at www.nztravelindustryawards.co.nz you must be either employed in or operate a business in the NZ Travel Industry.)

9th June 2012: Aoraki Mackenzie Named World’s Largest
9th June 2012: International Dark Sky Reserve!

Over 1,600 square miles of New Zealandʼs South Island have just been proclaimed as an International Dark Sky Reserve, making it the largest in the world. The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR), comprised of the Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park and the Mackenzie Basin, is the fourth such dark sky reserve in the world.

International Dark-Sky Associationʼs Executive Director Bob Parks remarks, "The new reserve is coming in at a ʻGoldʼ level status. That means the skies there are almost totally free from light pollution. To put it simply, it is one of the best stargazing sites on Earth."

Margaret Munro, our General Manager, adds: "The Earth & Sky team wish to congratulate the Starlight Reserve Working Party on their achievement of being awarded the first 'Gold' status as an International Starlight Reserve, recognising the area of Lake Tekapo and the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand the best place on Earth to stargaze."

Read the full press release by clicking here.

11th—13th June 2012: 3rd International Starlight Conference, Lake Tekapo

This important conference is recognised by the Starlight Initiative as the third of a series started in 2007 on the island of La Palma with the World Conference in Defence of the Night Sky and the Right to Observe the Stars, where the Starlight Declaration was adopted. For a full list of topics and the finalised list of invited speakers for this notable event, please click here (200KB PDF).

6th June 2012: Transit of Venus Field Day, Mount John Observatory
In a further joint event with the University of Canterbury, Earth & Sky invites you a once in a lifetime unmissable event! Not seen in New Zealand since 1882 and not to be repeated until 2117, the planet Venus will pass directly between the Earth and the Sun on Wednesday, June 6th. With our specialist solar telescope you can observe the event in complete safety from 10:16am to 4:44pm (weather permitting). The Astro Café will be open for refreshments and safe solar viewing glasses will be available to purchase for $5.

25th & 26th May 2012: Mount John Observatory Community Nights

In conjunction with the University of Canterbury, Earth & Sky invites you to this fundraising event in support of Tekapo School on Friday, 25th May and Saturday, 26th May, 6:30pm — 9pm. Look through powerful telescopes (weather permitting) and learn about the fascinating work done at a professional observatory. Parking is permitted at the base of Mount John, but the only access to the summit is by shuttle bus. Cost: $20 per adult, secondary students $5 and primary $2 (under fives free). Please bring a small torch and dress very warmly! Earth & Sky's Astro Café will be open for refreshments. For further information, please call us on 03-6806-000 (daytime/evening) or 03-6806-960 (after 5pm).

28th April 2012: Global Star Party at Cowan’s Observatory

Earth & Sky invites you to a celebration of the night sky at our Cowan’s Hill observatory on Saturday, 28th April where you can look through powerful telescopes and speak with our knowledgeable astronomy guides! Transport to and from the venue will be provided 5:30-7:30pm from our office next to the i-SITE in Tekapo township. Bring your enthusiasm, warm clothes, binoculars, a blanket to sit on and a hot drink in a thermos! (Gold coins for sausage sizzle/soft drinks.) Cost: $10 per adult, all children free (if accompanied by an adult). Proceeds donated to the Starlight Reserve. Back-up evening Sunday 29th if weather inclement.

14th—20th April 2012: International Dark Sky Week

From the summit of Mount John, peer into space and marvel at what is out there. Admire the Milky Way and distant galaxies, then prepare to be amazed by ringed planet Saturn in our powerful telescopes — a sight like you have never seen before. Join us on April 28th for a Global Star Party at Cowan's Observatory! Both evening and afternoon activities. Contact us for more details or check our Twitter and FaceBook pages for further updates.

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.

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

Return to Top of Page