Come and celebrate the creation of the southern hemisphere’s first International Dark Sky Reserve!
The Festival will comprise a mix of scientific, educational and cultural events over three days. School students, family groups, astro-tourists and stargazers from overseas are all welcome to learn more about the stars, the night sky, the problems of light pollution and the appreciation of the environment and outer space.
The events will include stargazing, lectures, a concert, an essay and poetry competition, documentaries on the night sky, a photographic exhibition, and more.
The main Festival venue will be the Hermitage, Mt Cook village in the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, including at the Hillary Alpine Centre and Planetarium. Some events may be at nearby venues at Mt Cook, at Lake Pukaki or at the University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory, Lake Tekapo.
Photo: Fraser Gunn