World’s first ‘starlight reserve’
The Mount John Observatory, located on a rocky mountaintop above Lake Tekapo near Mount Cook, has long been internationally recognised as one of the best-situated observatories for viewing the southern night skies because of its latitudinal position. But there are fears that its efficacy will be compromised by light pollution emanating from ever-encroaching housing developments.
In order to combat the problem, Graeme Murray, one of the founders of the Lake Tekapo stargazing tourism venture Earth and Sky, came up with the idea of creating reserves in the sky, and pitched it to UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme and World Heritage Centre. ‘The World Heritage list consists of 851 locations that are of outstanding universal value,’ said Murray. ‘New Zealand already has three such sites – Te Wahipounamu, Tongariro and the Sub-Antarctic Islands – but now we want to add a fourth: the sky above Lake Tekapo.’
Murray’s presentation was positively received, and the convention committee gave its endorsement for the new project, proposing that Lake Tekapo be considered the pilot study for a unique new protection category.
‘The Starlight Initiative is a global project to protect night skies,’ said Cipriano Marín, UNESCO’s coordinator of the initiative. ‘The process and recommendations to designate the first starlight reserve are being defined at present, and will be announced before the end of this year, with the aim of starting their implementation during the International Year of Astronomy 2009.’
Derek Grzelewski
September 08
In order to combat the problem, Graeme Murray, one of the founders of the Lake Tekapo stargazing tourism venture Earth and Sky, came up with the idea of creating reserves in the sky, and pitched it to UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme and World Heritage Centre. ‘The World Heritage list consists of 851 locations that are of outstanding universal value,’ said Murray. ‘New Zealand already has three such sites – Te Wahipounamu, Tongariro and the Sub-Antarctic Islands – but now we want to add a fourth: the sky above Lake Tekapo.’
Murray’s presentation was positively received, and the convention committee gave its endorsement for the new project, proposing that Lake Tekapo be considered the pilot study for a unique new protection category.
‘The Starlight Initiative is a global project to protect night skies,’ said Cipriano Marín, UNESCO’s coordinator of the initiative. ‘The process and recommendations to designate the first starlight reserve are being defined at present, and will be announced before the end of this year, with the aim of starting their implementation during the International Year of Astronomy 2009.’
Derek Grzelewski
September 08
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