New Zealand’s information to stargazing

New Zealand’s repute as the most effective locations on this planet to view the night time sky is properly established. From sleeping below the celebrities in a glass pod on the Lindis, a billion-star eating expertise at Mt Cook dinner Lakeside retreat, experiencing a Wanaka starset on a non-public lake cruise, to a starlight soak at Atarangi lodge, hosted by Moana Skies. These stargazing experiences should not solely reminiscence makers, however will provoke deeper considered our place within the universe, all whereas coated in luxurious consolation.

NZ is globally famend for darkish sky reserves and sanctuaries in each the South and North islands. Every of the stargazing areas and experiences we will probably be mentioning has its personal allure and sweetness, topped with luxurious options. The next is your information to the very best of New Zealand’s stargazing experiences.

Moana Skies Kaikōura

One of many most interesting stargazing spots is Kaikōura, which is now the most effective areas in New Zealand’s largest darkish sky sanctuary. In an remoted nook of the South Island, the place it’s troublesome to detect any gentle air pollution, the not too long ago gazetted Kaikōura Darkish Sky Sanctuary is a perfect location to stargaze and shoot astrophotos.

Moana Skies is a luxurious high-end tour operator providing a number of extraordinary stargazing experiences. Their personal tour is a completely particular person stargazing expertise, the place company are taught to function telescopes by an skilled information. Think about your self surrounded by the sky’s radiant stars, constellations, and different heavenly delights when night time approaches. The expertise can’t be prevented by somebody wanting to get pleasure from sluggish luxurious journey.

The Aoraki Mackenzie darkish sky reserve

Aoraki Mackenzie Darkish Sky Reserve surrounds the gorgeous Lake Tekapo, stated to be one of many world’s largest darkish sky reserves. The Aoraki Mackenzie Darkish Sky Reserve has a few of the darkest and clearest night time skies on this planet, so, if you’re an evening sky lover, that is the proper vacation spot to witness the splendour of the celebrities.

Aoraki Mackenzie Darkish Sky Reserve affords good viewing circumstances all 12 months spherical with its excessive altitude, arid local weather, and minimal gentle air pollution. Tekapo Star Gazing offers an unique stargazing and sizzling pool expertise the place you may loosen up below the celebrities. This expertise just isn’t solely an opportunity to loosen up below the night time sky, however you may even make use of the state-of-the-art telescopes offered to view planets, galaxies and capturing stars; an indulgent selection that isn’t to be missed!

Lake Tekapo: Silver River Stargazing

Being Tekapo’s highest-rated small-group stargazing exercise, Silver River Stargazing is extra intimate in nature. What makes Silver River fairly particular is that their guides are actually obsessed with opening up the universe to you, and their dedication to sustaining small group excursions is unwavering, so that each stargazer can benefit from the unbelievable expertise. Expertise a non-public tour, on personal land, hosted by enthusiastic skilled guides who unveil the wonders of the Southern Hemisphere sky, and watch the night time sky come alive on this journey below a few of the finest skies on planet earth.

Moana Skies & Ata Rangi Lodge starlight soak

A starlight soak is essentially the most lavish method to relish the skies above, and defines a brand new strategy to stargazing.  This starlight soak is a very luxurious stargazing expertise, hosted by the breathtaking Ata Rangi Lodge, organised by Moana Skies. Image sipping on a glass of wine or wealthy sizzling chocolate and stress-free in a wonderfully heated spa beneath a few of the cleanest skies on Earth. Your private Moana Skies information will flip the night time sky into your personal private planetarium.

For individuals who assume luxurious and journey go hand in hand, that is stargazing. It’s the final personal indulgence for {couples} or small teams looking for one thing very particular as a result of it’s relaxed, romantically charged, and easily unforgettable. This expertise definitely speaks for itself: mild spa waters, crisp mountain air, and the starry Milky Method unite to create a rare expertise.

Mount Cook dinner: Pukaki Observatory at Mt Cook dinner Lakeside Retreat

With their Billion Star Eating expertise, Mt Cook dinner Lakeside Retreat offers one thing actually distinctive for these on the lookout for the final word luxurious stargazing expertise. This isn’t stargazing; it’s an all-senses affair that begins with a high quality eating expertise, the place artistic and recent delicacies paves the best way for an evening to be savoured.

Skilled guides will introduce you to the night time sky and the fantastic expertise that awaits you whereas having fun with a welcome drink of their wine cellar earlier than your arrival on the stars. With its rollaway roof and precision 9-inch reflector telescope, the observatory itself is a murals.

There’s a gorgeous view of the universe inside the confines of the partitions of the observatory for the reason that roof opens up. Star clusters twinkling, the mysterious nebula, and distant planets are all seen in beautiful element. You possibly can even see the Aurora Australis tinting the southern sky in ethereal greens and purples on these enchanted nights when the environment is excellent.

Wanaka: Stargazing in Southern Alps

The Southern Alps are well-known for his or her extraordinarily darkish skies, they usually stage some spectacular gentle reveals. Wanaka affords wonderful stargazing the place you find out about stars, establish constellations, and should you’re fortunate on the night time, see the Aurora Australis dancing throughout the horizon.

Wānaka is sufficiently far south to have the ability to {photograph} the Aurora Australis (southern lights) sometimes, and spring and autumn are the very best occasions for southern lights pictures. The realm affords wonderful astrophotography periods and stargazing excursions that take full benefit of the clear night time sky of the Southern Alps.

Journey Wanaka’s personal boat stargazing

Expertise the unblemished great thing about Lake Wānaka and the starry night time from the sundeck of Journey Wanaka’s specifically designed, small, and comfy boat. An individually tailor-made constitution expertise that isolates you from the crowds and onto the quiet water, the place the night time sky is mirrored precisely and in good, mirror-like circumstances. This isn’t your peculiar stargazing journey.

Stargazing actually turns into a wide ranging and memorable expertise while you’re floating serenely out on Lake Wānaka’s tranquil waters, bounded by the dramatic silhouettes of the Southern Alps, with nothing however the soothing lake water and a outstanding cover of stars above.

The Lindis: Luxurious stargazing in Central Otago

The Lindis affords a singular expertise in one in every of New Zealand’s wildest and most distant landscapes, elevating stargazing to new heights. Below Lindi’s signature stargazing expertise, your private information will take you to a non-public location within the valley the place your stargazing expertise begins. The Lindis additionally provide essentially the most immersive stargazing expertise, sleeping below the celebrities in a glass pod, the place you may cozy up with a beloved one and see the starry night time dance to you whilst you drift off to sleep in luxurious consolation.

With your personal telescope, you may have a peek at some lovely planets and deep-sky objects. The Lindis may be very particular 12 months spherical, permitting you to sit down below a few of the darkest skies on this planet.

GoodHeavens: Nice Barrier Island (Aotea)

With the title of an Worldwide Darkish Sky Sanctuary, Nice Barrier Island, solely 90 kilometres by aircraft or ferry from Auckland, is a prestigious website in astronomical historical past. You’ll land on Aotea, or the Nice Barrier Island, the place stars twinkle vibrant. The fact that this island is sort of completely free from gentle air pollution, with pristine environment that make it so extraordinary for stargazing. The picture beneath was taken by James Rua, highlighting the actually magical expertise hosted by GoodHeavens.

Because the quantity one-rated stargazing tour enterprise on the island, Good Heavens, hosts intimate and comfy stargazing excursions amongst the sand dunes, the place they’ll train you methods to use constellations and stars for navigation, chat about Maori and European myths all whereas comfortably rugged up within the consolation of blankets and a sizzling drink.

Twinkle Darkish Sky Excursions: Stewart Island/Rakiura

Darkish Sky Worldwide accredited Stewart Island/Rakiura in 2019. This secluded sanctuary, situated within the deep south of New Zealand, has a few of the optimum viewing circumstances for the Aurora Australis, or the enchanting southern lights.

The locals actually do care to maintain the night time sky and atmosphere intact, and Rakiura Nationwide Park holds about 85% of Stewart Island. Since 2017, technical readings for sky high quality on Stewart Island have been 21.51 and 21.93 mac/arc sec2, so it is possible for you to to see stars like by no means earlier than.

Twinkle Darkish Sky Excursions affords an opportunity to see the small print of the moon’s craters and a few of the most enchanting spots in our photo voltaic system. Expertise a very memorable stargazing expertise with Twinkle Darkish Sky Excursions in probably the most distant and pristine Darkish Sky sanctuaries in New Zealand.

Stargaze your method by New Zealand with Aroha

Stargaze your method by New Zealand with Aroha New Zealand Excursions. New Zealand darkish sky reserves are nice areas for reflecting on the place we match within the scheme of issues. There’s a character distinctive to every location and one thing particular that every one has to supply. Stewart Island offers you with unbridled wilderness, however the Lindis is restraint and decadence. The Mackenzie Basin offers you with alpine magnificence on a colossal scale, however Kaikōura comprises enormous mountain surroundings with an unbelievable coast.

For hundreds of years, the night time sky has mesmerised people, and these distinctive spots all through Aotearoa nonetheless have new generations of tourists and locals spellbound, so include a way of surprise and put together to be amazed. By your self below the celebrities on a distant island getaway or gazing up on the world’s largest darkish sky reserve, New Zealand night time skies will blow your thoughts in regards to the universe.