New Zealand Starlight Conference - Towards a Dark Sky Nation
20-23 October 2024, Tekapo, New Zealand
Day One
Starlight Conference 2019
Opening Ceremony
Powhiri (Official Māori welcome), Kapa haka performance. Thanks to Te Wera King and Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua.
Session 1
Dark sky places and the global scene
Chairperson: John Hearnshaw
Celebrating the Night: From the flash of a firefly to the star studded sky
Ruskin Hartley, Executive Director, International Dark Sky Assn, Tucson Arizona, USA
International Dark Sky Places & New Zealand
Status Report
Adam , International Dark Sky Places Program Manager, IDA, Tucson Arizona, USA
The Canadian Dark-Sky Preserve Program: Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Robert Dick, CEO, Canadian Lighting Company, Ontario, Canada
Protecting the Night Sky of Northern Chile: A Proposal to Restrict Spectral Emissions in the Era of LED
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)
Session 2: Dark sky places and the global scene
Dark sky places in New Zealand
Chairperson: Nalayini Davies
The Starlight Foundation: 12 years of commitment with the Starlight Declaration
Antonia Varela Perez, Director of the Starlight Foundation, Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, Tenerife,Spain
Dark skies in the Mackenzie – the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve
John Hearnshaw, Chair, Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve Board/ University of Canterbury, NZ
Protecting Beyond the Back of Beyond - The Great Barrier Island International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Richard Somerville-Ryan, Great Barrier Island – Aotea, Auckland
Dark South – The Stewart Island/ Rakiura International Dark Sky Sanctuary Journey
Amie Young, Tourism Product Development Advisor, Great South
Dark Sky Places of the World: The evolution of the dark sky place idea, and where it’s at today
David Welch (presented by Robert Dick), Chair of the IUCN Dark Skies Advisory Group, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Session 3: Best lighting practices for dark sky places - Astro-tourism
Chairperson: Steve Butler
Preserving the dark night sky at observatories in the era of LED lighting
Richard Wainscoat, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
The Dark Sky: Light Pollution and how to reduce it
Mike Geddis, EnergyLight, Christchurch
Responsible lighting choices and the undeniable data
Lara and David Mitchell, Lumican, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Dark Skies, a movement around the globe
Marnie Ogg, Australasian Dark Sky Alliance – Sydney, Australia
Experiencing the Night Sky: Astro-Tourism, Travel Trends and the Visitor Economy
Megan Miller, Mackenzie Region Trade & Media Marketing Executive, Christchurch NZ and Jason Menard, Mackenzie Region Digital Marketing Executive, Christchurch NZ
Session 4: Dark sky places and World Heritage
Dark sky protection in other countries
Chairperson: Bruce Mincham
Astronomical World Heritage and dark skies—an update
Clive Ruggles, University of Leicester, UK
Space Weather Animates the Natural Night Sky
Al and Patricia (Annie) Grauer (with Nalayini and Gareth Davies, Auckland NZ), Cosmic Campground, New Mexico, USA
Star Watching Campaign: Outreach Effort for Light Pollution by the Japanese Government
Junichi Watanabe, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan
Keeping it Dark in the Country, a Success Story of Astronomical Proportions
Phil Langill, Rothney Astrophysical Observatory, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada (with Suzanne Oel (Foothills County), Greg Shyba (ASCCA) & Roland Dechesne (RASC)
Day Two
Session 5: Light pollution as a global environmental issue
Chairperson: Kaye Paardekooper
Starlight Conference Dinner speaker: Graeme Murray, co-founder of Earth & Sky - the forerunner of the Dark Sky Project
Light pollution: the good, the bad and the ugly (pre-recorded talk
Fabio Falchi, Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologia dell’Inquinamento Luminoso (Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute), Thiene, Italy
The importance of visual observations of skyglow by amateurs (pre-recorded talk)
Chris Kyba, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Sutherland Central Astronomy Advantage Area (SCAAA) Protection Regulations: Preserving Dark Skies at SAAO
Ramotholo Sefako, South African Astronomical Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
Notice of the Minister's decision on protection measures to be applied within SCAAA
Mitigating obtrusive light on the night sky in regional areas
Mike Chapman, Sydney Outdoor Lighting Improvement Society (SOLIS), Sydney, Australia
Earth’s artificial rings
Duncan Steel, Xerra Earth Observation Institute, Alexandra, Central Otago, NZ
Session 6: Blue light and its impact on human health and the environment
Chairperson: Alan Gilmore
The importance of the circadian clock and artificial lighting at the correct time for human metabolic health
Alexander Tups, Department of Physiology, Centre of Neuroendocrinology and Brain
Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
The importance of access to the night sky and the value of darkness and sleep
Kyra Xavia, Dunedin
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
Astrometric observations of Near-Earth Objects from Mt John Observatory
Alan Gilmore and Pam Kilmartin, Mt John Observatory, University of Canterbury
Astrophysics Research at the University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory
Karen Pollard, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury.
Director Mt John Observatory, Lake Tekapo
The Exploration of the Way of Sky Protection
Lei Ping, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Fund (CBCGDF),
Shenzen, Guangdong Province, China
Protecting the Dark Sky, Building a Beautiful China
Liu Hao, Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Fund (CBCGDF),
Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, China
Session 8: Artificial light at night and its impact on the environment
Chairperson: Steve Butler
Development of National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife in Australia
Karen Arthur, Department of the Environment and Energy, Australian Government, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Starcrossed: Preserving Night Skies in U.S. National Parks
Karen Trevino, US National Park Service, Denver, CO, USA
Sounds and lights in the environment
Jeff Dalley, Department of Conservation, Christchurch, New Zealand
Day Three
Session 9: The End of Night, Dark sky protection in Indonesia
Chairperson: Margaret Austin
Is it the End of Night?
Paul Bogard, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
Developing Dark Sky Protection Strategy in Indonesia (co-authors: R. Breton, D.Y. Yuna & O. Katz)
Premana Premadi, Bosscha Observatory, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia
Why East Nusa Tenggara should be an amazing destination for astro-tourism (co-author: P.W. Premadi)
Dwi Yoshafetri Yuna, Bosscha Observatory, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia
Session 10: New Zealand Aspiring Dark Sky Places – Towards a Dark Sky Nation
Chairperson: Nalayini Davies
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Light Pollution Distribution Patterns around observatories in Indonesia (co-authors: D. Herdiwijaya and P.W. Premadi)
Hendra Agus Prastyo, Bosscha Observatory, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia
Protecting Ecology and Saving Our Stars via a Constellation of Small Amber-lit Coastal Communities
Kyra Xavia, Dunedin
Using darkness to enlighten
Damien McNamara, North Otago Astronomical Society, Oamaru, NZ
In the dark at the top - Happening in the top of the South
Ralph Bradley, Wai-iti Nelson
Stargazing on the Coromandel peninsula
Alistair Brickell, Stargazers B&B and Astronomy Tours, Whitianga, Coromandel, NZ
Letting stars reflect in Te Waihora and the moon light up Te Tiritiri-o-te-moana (Southern Alps)
Clare Quirke, Selwyn District Council, Canterbury, NZ
The Wainuiomata-Orongorongo Dark-sky Project
Ricky Clarkson, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wainuiomata-Orongorongo Dark-Sky Project