On-the-road under the stars of New Zealand
In a very distant country, the night skies are so clear that you can lose yourself among the constellations for hours. The South Island of New Zealand is, not surprisingly, the largest existing reserve of the International Dark-Sky Association. During your journey, you will need to get out of the car and admire the wonders of the universe.
You, the Milky Way, and a pair of binoculars
About 274 km west of Christchurch, the Mackenzie Basin in New Zealand’s Southern Alps is famous for its starry nights and Aoraki/Mount Cook, 3724 meters above sea level. Indulge your passion for astronomy in the Aoraki Mackenzie reserve, described as “one of the best sites in the world for stargazing.” The nerd in you will surely want to venture inside the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. Get comfortable under the digital dome of the planetarium and take part in a virtual tour of the aforementioned southern hemisphere skies.
Aoraki/ Mt Cook National Park, Canterbury, 7999
Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, The Hermitage Hotel, Terrace Road, Aoraki/Mount Cook Village
Deserved relaxation under the stars
110 km from Mount Cook, and still within the Dark Sky reserve, the Mount John Observatory at Lake Tekapo boasts the most powerful telescope in the country. Leave the town behind and drive another 9 km to the research center that offers a spectacular 360-degree view of the starry sky. To fully enjoy this moment, put away your camera and phone, and prepare to spend the morning with billions of stars above your head.
Mount John University Observatory, 422 Godley Peaks Road, Lake Tekapo, 7999
Astronomical tourism has never been so cool
If you’re not yet tired of such beauty, set off 63 km south to reach Twizel. Still located in the MacKenzie region, the fresh air of the alpine town offers another dazzling spectacle. For the delight of your eyes, get to the telescope and be enchanted by the Magellanic Clouds, visible exclusively from the southern celestial hemisphere.
Surrender to the spell of Alpha Centauri
Queenstown, another 200 km south, is a successful tourist destination nestled among majestic snow-capped mountains. Park in downtown Queenstown, then board the Skyline Gondola that will take you 450 meters above Lake Wakatipu to Bob’s Peak. Eyes glued to the celestial realm, you will be mesmerized by the Southern Cross and Alpha Centauri.
Ben Lomond 9371
