Simply looking up at the night sky has a powerful effect on humankind. For millennia, it has created a sense of awe and wonder, prompted spiritual and technological curiosity and discovery.

Sadly, over the last century, we have become addicted to light. Light has given us so much, however, we have sadly forgotten the beauty and importance of darkness for our wellbeing, for our culture, for our environment and for our discoveries.

Dark Sky Project is committed to preserving our night skies: we connect manuhiri (visitors) to the relevance of the night sky via scientific and cultural experiences. We take a leadership role in night sky preservation, advocating for minimal light pollution. We are proud of what we do and are excited about the possibilities of what can be achieved if we all work together.

Millions of children across the world will never see a star, let alone appreciate the Milky Way. We believe that, together, we can change this. The night sky should be accessible to everyone on the planet – tonight, tomorrow and into the future.

Takapō (Tekapo) and the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is home to some of the world’s darkest skies. It may be one of the quietest spots on the planet, yet it has one of the busiest skies in the universe. From here, at Te Tahitaha o Te Raki (the earth’s edge) we search the sky for understanding of creation, knowledge of space, and we try to make sense of these strands of light.

"Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri a muri ake nei" - For us and our children after us.