The Milky Way over Lake Wairarapa. Photo / Pete Monk
The Milky Way over Lake Wairarapa. Photo / Pete Monk
Move over Aoraki-Mackenzie, the North Island now has its own official Dark Sky Reserve, writes Sara Bunny.
With its rolling hills, vineyard rows and relaxed vibes, Wairarapa has long been a favourite weekend hangout for city slickers. Martinborough’s cellar doors and summer fairs, Greytown’s cutesy main street and mid-winter festivities, and Featherston’s book festival are all magnets for visitors venturing over the Remutaka Hill. And now, there’s another local attraction gaining global attention - the region’s epic night sky.
Recently, a sizeable chunk of the Wairarapa has been officially named a Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark-Sky Association, the second in the country after Canterbury’s Aoraki-Mackenzie. New Zealand’s newest Dark Sky Reserve spans all of South Wairarapa and Carterton districts, covering off 3665km of pristine inky blackness now protected from unnecessary light pollution. More than just a flashy title, it’s one of only 20 such sites in the world, a spot deemed by international astronomy experts as having some of the best views of our vast Southern Hemisphere skies.
Wairarapa is pipped as having some of the best views of our vast Southern Hemisphere skies. Photo / Night & Light Photography
While the darkest zone of the reserve is deep within Aorangi Forest Park, towards the rugged southernmost tip of the North Island, you don’t have to go bush to take in the region’s star-studded vistas. Thanks to the naturally low-lit surrounds of the Pacific Ocean and the Remutaka and Tararua Forest Ranges, you can often take in the celestial splendour from backyards throughout the region. And there is a range of ways to make the most of the show.
Mobile stargazing company, Under the Stars, brings the telescopes to yours (or the hotel, bach or Air BnB) for bespoke astronomy sessions with a local expert. “While the stars are of course the same throughout the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the quality of the sky in the Wairarapa that’s unique”, says astrophotographer and Under the Stars tour guide, Chris Murphy.
“Our sky here is world class. About 90 percent of the Wairarapa is great for stargazing, and there’s lots of cool stuff to see year-round. In the winter months in particular, that band of light we know as the Milky Way is directly overhead and we can get an especially stunning view of the centre of it, which is one of its brightest areas. There’s also the Magellanic Clouds; two satellite galaxies of the Milky Way that are visible to the naked eye.”
About 90 per cent of Wairarapa is great for stargazing. Photo / Chris Murphy – Last Quarter Photography
In Martinborough’s Ponatahi Valley, Star Safari boasts two huge 405mm reflecting telescopes for budding astronomers to gaze through in wonder. Tours are led by an astrobiologist and astrophysicist, and celestial sightseers can take in everything from galaxies and gas clouds, to the occasional meteor. Small group safaris have a focus on accessible science, while advanced astronomers can also book private tours to delve into more detail.
Closer to Carterton, history buffs can chart the skies the ancient way at Stonehenge Aotearoa, which is built to the same scale as it famous Northern Hemisphere namesake at Salisbury Plain in England. Here, visitors can grab a map and take a self-guided walk around the stones, or book in for a daytime or evening tour to hear how our earliest ancestors made sense of the sky.
Regardless of where you choose to take in the view, it’s the surrounding darkness that lets nature’s stellar scenery shine. Keeping the region’s lights low is a stargazing essential, and a dedicated group of local volunteers is leading the cause. “Something like 80 per cent of people live somewhere where they can’t see the Milky Way from home,” says Wairarapa Dark Sky Association’s Dr Tom Love. “We can do that here, and we think that’s worth protecting.”
Wairarapa is pipped as having some of the best views of our vast Southern Hemisphere skies. Photo / Night & Light Photography
The group spent years working with Wairarapa councils to make changes to the district plan, which now states that any new lighting in the region needs to meet dark sky standards. The Department of Conservation has some onboard to change exterior lights on DOC huts throughout the Aorangi Forest Park, and along the coast, Maritime NZ has committed to adding protective shields to three lighthouses to limit the amount of glare seeping upwards towards the heavens.
But as Love points out, seeing the stars is only part of it. “We know that light pollution and extensive artificial lighting has adverse effects on humans and animals. It can damage human health by interrupting our circadian rhythms and it can really impact native wildlife, especially as so many of our animals are nocturnal. It even affects plants, and there are studies to show that trees near streetlights have abnormal growing seasons and can be more vulnerable to frost.”
Murphy says excess artificial light is an issue that usually flies under the radar. “It’s not often at the forefront of eco movements or public consciousness, but compared to other environmental problems, reducing light pollution is relatively easy to fix.”
For Murphy, shining a (low) light on the wonders of the night sky and helping to build awareness of why it’s so special is the best part of his job. “It’s great to be able to share something with people that they perhaps hadn’t previously appreciated,” he says. “There’s so much to see up there.”
Enjoy small group stargazing safaris or book private tours to delve into detail.
Photo / Night & Light Photography
NZ’s starriest skies
There are currently 201 places throughout the world officially recognised by the International Dark-Sky Association, including 115 Parks, 38 Communities, 20 Reserves, 16 Sanctuaries, 6 Urban Night Sky Places, and 6 Dark Sky Friendly Developments of Distinction.
Aotearoa’s dark sky spots are:
- Aotea/Great Barrier Island Dark Sky Sanctuary, one of the first islands in the world to be recognised for its spectacular stars.
- Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve, which takes in South Wairarapa and Carterton districts.
