Sunday, 26th May 2013: Astro Café Pink Ribbon Breakfast
23rd May 2013: TripAdvisor's 2013 Certificate of Excellence Award
| All at Earth & Sky are proud and excited to receive this prestigious award which places us in the top-performing 10% of all businesses worldwide on TripAdvisor, an accolade given to businesses that consistently earn high ratings from TripAdvisor travellers. We would like to personally thank everyone who wrote so favourably about their experience(s) with us! |
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).
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.
10th December 2012: Earth & Sky makes
101 Must-Do's for Kiwis
list
2nd December 2012: TVNZ ONE News — Stars bright in Mackenzie District
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
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!
24th August 2012: Earth & Sky wins Hospitality & Tourism Award
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
9th June 2012: Aoraki Mackenzie Named World’s Largest
9th June 2012: International Dark Sky Reserve!
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
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
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