Discovering the Stars

What do Great Barrier Island and Stewart Island have in common?

They’re both official Dark Sky Sanctuaries! A Dark Sky Sanctuary is a piece of land offering little light pollution, and exceptional starry nights. It’s no secret that our skies are spectacular, but these Sanctuaries take the cake.

Fun fact

Every winter, New Zealanders celebrate Matariki – the start of the Māori New Year – under the stars. Matariki is a cluster of around 500 stars, but only six or seven are visible without a telescope.