The New Zealand Starlight Conference in Tekapo, New Zealand will take place between the 20th and 23rd of October 2024.

The main theme of the Starlight Conference 2024 is Dark Skies for All: a Call for Action!

• The action required is to make legislators aware of the need for national legislation to curb light pollution.
• To educate everyone of the benefits of darker skies for human health, for the environment, for astronomers and astrotourists, and for cost savings in power generation. The benefits also extend to combatting climate change by reducing electric power generation.
• The conference wants to engage with lighting engineers so that those advocating darker skies can work with engineers to find solutions to reduce light pollution but still preserve public safety at night. This will be for the mutual benefit of all parties.
• To highlight cultural and aesthetic aspects of a pristine starry night sky and to promote interest in Maori astronomy and Matariki.
• To energize all the communities in New Zealand aspiring to become dark sky places to help them work towards Dark Sky accreditation.
• To further develop the concept of New Zealand as a Dark Sky Nation.

The conference helps to promote New Zealand as a world leader for dark skies protection and astro-tourism. It also highlights the health and environmental impacts of artificial light at night (ALAN) by engaging with world experts who contribute conference presentations.

Presentations of the latest research on the hazards of blue light emissions from LED streetlights will be made, so that New Zealand communities, local government officials and lighting engineers can install lights which comply with the best international practices.