Be Informed

There are unlimited resources if you’re interested in learning more about how to enjoy the night sky and how you can protect the night sky. Here are a few recommendations:

News articles

View previous new articles

Resources 

There are unlimited resources if you’re interested in learning more about how to enjoy the night sky and how you can protect the night sky. Here are a few recommendations:

Downloadable Posters, Brochures & Guides

Understanding the effects of light pollution

Understanding the updated lighting provisions

Kaikōura Dark Sky FAQ’s

Responsible Lighting Guidelines for Kaikōura 

Blue Light Aotearo

Posters produced for the Dark Sky Expo in May 2023

Websites

Dark Sky Network NZ

DSNNZ resource page

International Dark-Sky Association

IDA resource page

Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand

RASNZ website

Royal Society Te Apārangi

Royal Society issues and projects page

Apps

Stellarium Plus - Star Map - apk

Stellarium Mobile  – Star Map is a planetarium app that shows exactly what you see when you look up at the stars. It helps you identify stars, constellations, planets, comets, satellites, and other deep sky objects. It also gives a realistic view of the Milky Way. Use the settings to be sure that your location is correct. Touch and hold the constellations setting to give lots of options.

Constellation Mapstargazing app. Simply point your device towards the sky and this application will display the names of the stars, constellations and planets. You can check the orbital position of the planet in the solar system on a separate screen. You can display the names of about 100 bright stars, constellations, ecliptic, celestial equator, Deep Sky Objects, ISS, Celestial pole, and so on.

Globe at Night - Light

Globe at Night –  Measure the night sky brightness. An international citizen science campaign which invites you to measure & submit you night sky brightness observations. 

Roblox - Symbol

DarkLight – allows you to use your phone at night as a source of red light in the dark. The reason for this is that white light from your phone will spoil your dark adaptation for night vision but red light won’t. 

Articles & Media Items

Is street lighting damaging our health?

What is a dark Sky?

Light Pollution in Kaikōura

Protecting the night sky – February 2023

Scores of confused birds crash in Kaikōura, lighting blamed – March 2023

Lighting trends reveal state of the dark sky cloak: light at night and its ecological
impacts in New Zealand
– Dec 2023

Land of the bright white light – Nov 2023

Videos

Self-guided stargazing video in Kaikōura

Dark Sacred Night

Animated showing the effect of night light on nocturnal animals and easy solutions

How blue night affects us in Aotearoa

Interview with John Hearnshaw about the problem with light pollution

Changing the world at the speed of light

Under One Sky 2023 – DarkSky International Presentations

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Thank you to all our supporters who have kindly provided free ongoing services & advice or have generously donated funds. You are amazing and the stars will shine a little brighter because of you.

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