Conference Report
Conference Programme
Conference Abstracts
Starlight Conference 2019 Opening Ceremony
Powhiri (Official Māori welcome), Kapa haka performance
Thanks to Te Wera King and Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua
Public talk open to all conference participants and accompanying guests
Victoria Campbell, University of Otago, Ngai Tahu Kotai Mano Kaika
Session 1: Dark sky places and the global scene
Chairperson: John Hearnshaw
Ruskin Hartley
Executive Director, International Dark Sky Assn, Tucson Arizona, USA
Celebrating the Night: From the flash of a firefly to the star studded sky.
Adam Dalton
International Dark Sky Places Program Manager, IDA, Tucson Arizona, USA
International Dark Sky Places and New Zealand: Status Report.
Robert Dick
CEO, Canadian Lighting Company, Ontario, Canada
The Canadian Dark-Sky Preserve Program, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
Pedro Sanhueza
Office for the Protection of the Night Sky of Northern Chile (OPCC) (with Guillermo Damke, Universidad de La Serena/AURA Inc. Chile, Rodolfo Angeloni, Universidad de La Serena, Chile, Miguel Martínez, OPCC, Chile Hugo Rojas, OPCC, Chile)
Protecting the Night Sky of Northern Chile: A Proposal to Restrict Spectral Emissions in the Era of LED.
Session 2: Dark sky places and the global scene. Dark sky places in New Zealand
Chairperson: Nalayini Davies
Antonia Varela Perez
Director of the Starlight Foundation, Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, Tenerife, Spain
The Starlight Foundation: 12 years of commitment with the Starlight Declaration
John Hearnshaw
Chair, Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve Board/ University of Canterbury, NZ
Dark skies in the Mackenzie – the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve
Richard Somerville-Ryan
Great Barrier Island – Aotea, Auckland
Protecting Beyond the Back of Beyond - The Great Barrier Island International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Amie Young
Tourism Product Development Advisor, Great South
Dark South – The Stewart Island/ Rakiura International Dark Sky Sanctuary Journey
David Welch (presented by Robert Dick)
Chair of the IUCN Dark Skies Advisory Group, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Dark Sky Places of the World: The evolution of the dark sky place idea, and where it’s at today
Session 3: Best lighting practices for dark sky places - Astro-tourism
Chairperson: Steve Butler
Richard Wainscoat
Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
Preserving the dark night sky at observatories in the era of LED lighting
Mike Geddis
EnergyLight, Christchurch
The Dark Sky
Light Pollution and how to reduce it
Lara and David Mitchell
Lumican, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Responsible lighting choices
and the undeniable data
Marnie Ogg
Australasian Dark Sky Alliance – Sydney, Australia
Dark Skies, a movement around the globe
Megan Miller
Mackenzie Region Trade & Media Marketing Executive, Christchurch NZ and Jason Menard, Mackenzie Region Digital Marketing Executive, Christchurch NZ
Experiencing the Night Sky: Astro-Tourism, Travel Trends and the Visitor Economy
Session 4: Dark sky places and World Heritage. Dark sky protection in other countries
Chairperson: Bruce Mincham
Clive Ruggles
University of Leicester, UK
Astronomical World Heritage and dark skies—an update
Al and Patricia (Annie) Grauer (with Nalayini and Gareth Davies, Auckland NZ)
Cosmic Campground, New Mexico, USA
Space Weather Animates the Natural Night Sky
Junichi Watanabe
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan
Star Watching Campaign: Outreach Effort for Light Pollution by the Japanese Government
Phil Langill
Rothney Astrophysical Observatory, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada (with Suzanne Oel (Foothills County), Greg Shyba (ASCCA) & Roland Dechesne (RASC))
Keeping it Dark in the Country, a Success Story of Astronomical Proportions
Charlotte Harley
Elan Valley Trust, Powys, Wales
Dark Skies of Wales
Starlight Conference Dinner speaker: Graeme Murray, co-founder of Earth & Sky - the forerunner of the Dark Sky Project.
Session 5: Light pollution as a global environmental issue
Chairperson: Kaye Paardekooper
Fabio Falchi
Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologia dell’Inquinamento Luminoso <br>(Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute), Thiene, Italy
Light pollution: the good, the bad and the ugly
(pre-recorded talk)
Chris Kyba
GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
The importance of visual observations of skyglow by amateurs
(pre-recorded talk)
Ramotholo Sefako
South African Astronomical Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
Sutherland Central Astronomy Advantage Area (SCAAA) Protection Regulations:
Preserving Dark Skies at SAAO
Notice of the Minister's decision on protection measures to be applied within SCAAA
Mike Chapman
Sydney Outdoor Lighting Improvement Society (SOLIS), Sydney, Australia
Mitigating obtrusive light on the night sky in regional areas
Duncan Steel
Xerra Earth Observation Institute, Alexandra, Central Otago, NZ
Earth’s artificial rings
Session 6: Blue light and its impact on human health and the environment.
Chairperson: Alan Gilmore
Alexander Tups
Department of Physiology, Centre of Neuroendocrinology and Brain
Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
The importance of the circadian clock and artificial lighting at the correct time for human metabolic health
Kyra Xavia
Dunedin
The importance of access to the night sky
and the value of darkness and sleep
Session 7: Astrophotography and the beauty of the night sky.
Astronomy at Mt John Observatory and Canterbury University.
Dark sky protection in China
Chairperson: John Hearnshaw
Alan Gilmore and Pam Kilmartin
Mt John Observatory, University of Canterbury
Astrometric observations of Near-Earth Objects from Mt John Observatory
Karen Pollard
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury.
Director Mt John Observatory, Lake Tekapo
Astrophysics Research at the University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory
Lei Ping
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Fund (CBCGDF),
Shenzen, Guangdong Province, China
The Exploration of the Way of Sky Protection
Liu Hao
Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Fund (CBCGDF),
Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, China
Protecting the Dark Sky, Building a Beautiful China
Session 8: Artificial light at night and its impact on the environment
Chairperson: Steve Butler
Karen Arthur
Department of the Environment and Energy, Australian Government, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Development of National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife in Australia
Karen Trevino
US National Park Service, Denver, CO, USA
Starcrossed: Preserving Night Skies in U.S. National Parks
Jeff Dalley
Department of Conservation, Christchurch, New Zealand
Sounds and lights in the environment
Session 9: The End of Night, Dark sky protection in Indonesia
Chairperson: Margaret Austin
Paul Bogard
James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
Is it the End of Night?
Premana Premadi
Bosscha Observatory, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia
Developing Dark Sky Protection Strategy in Indonesia
(co-authors: R. Breton, D.Y. Yuna & O. Katz)
Dwi Yoshafetri Yuna
Bosscha Observatory, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia
Why East Nusa Tenggara should be an amazing destination for astro-tourism (co-author: P.W. Premadi)
Session 10: New Zealand Aspiring Dark Sky Places – Towards a Dark Sky Nation
Chairperson: Nalayini Davies
Hendra Agus Prastyo
Bosscha Observatory, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Light Pollution Distribution Patterns around observatories in Indonesia
(co-authors: D. Herdiwijaya and P.W. Premadi)
Kyra Xavia
Dunedin
Protecting Ecology and Saving Our Stars via a Constellation of Small Amber-lit Coastal Communities
Damien McNamara
North Otago Astronomical Society, Oamaru, NZ
Using darkness to enlighten
Ralph Bradley
Wai-iti Nelson
In the dark at the top - Happening in the top of the South
Jill Wolff
Naseby Vision, Naseby, Central Otago, NZ
The long and winding trail
Alistair Brickell
Stargazers B&B and Astronomy Tours, Whitianga, Coromandel, NZ
Stargazing on the Coromandel peninsula
Ken Ross
Far North District Council, Kaikohe, NZ
He kanohi ki te kanohi/ Face to face
Kim Wesney
Waiheke Island
Good Night Waiheke or Good Bye to the Night Waiheke?
Clare Quirke
Selwyn District Council, Canterbury, NZ
Letting stars reflect in Te Waihora and the moon light up Te Tiritiri-o-te-moana (Southern Alps)
Selwyn District plans to protect the Dark Sky
Ricky Clarkson
Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wainuiomata-Orongorongo Dark-Sky Project
The Wainuiomata-Orongorongo Dark-sky Project.
Session 11: Towards a dark sky nation
Chairperson: Margaret Austin
Steve Butler
RASNZ Dark Skies Group, Invercargill
Nalayini Davies
ASTRONZ and Auckland Astronomical Society
Towards a Dark Sky Nation – the vision, the challenges and opportunities
Panel discussion
Towards a Dark Sky Nation