Banks Peninsula has a dream to become New Zealand’s next Dark Sky Reserve, prompted by a father’s fear his son may miss out on the magic of seeing the Milky Way.
Luca Devescovi, who owns Akaroa Stargazing, has held two community meetings to gauge support, and has already started monitoring light levels across Banks Peninsula at night.
“I am terrified that my little toddler will grow up without the possibility of seeing the band of the Milky Way and I’ve promised him I’m not going to let this happen,” he said.
He delights in some of the images he’s been able to capture from the hills around Akaroa, including stunning shots of the aurora taken from Wainui.
“The whole sky was glowing with pulsations of light over my head, it was just crazy. I got the shivers now that I’m talking about it, this is my greatest picture ever.”
A father’s fear his son might miss out on the magic of seeing the Milky Way has prompted the bid. (Source: Breakfast)
The glow from the lights of ever-growing Christchurch will be a factor in the application, however, Devescovi said it was a misconception that light pollution from Christchurch has an impact in the Banks Peninsula.
“It’s not as major as you would think.”
Pointing at images showing the increase in Christchurch’s light pollution, Devescovi said he hoped it wouldn’t get much worse.
“This is why we want to protect the night sky here.”
It does mean they will be unable to apply for Dark Sky Sanctuary status, going for Dark Sky Reserve or Park status instead.
Kaikōura gained the coveted Dark Sky Sanctuary status after a four-year process last September.
Dark Sky Trust Kaikōura project coordinator Colette Doughty said they were getting a “huge amount” of interest coming into the first winter astro season.
She said she wants to support the Banks Peninsula bid.
“We’re working together, we want to be a Dark Sky nation – let’s make more dark sky places.”
For Banks Peninsula, it is an initiative for the wildlife too.
Penguin ecologist Rachel Hickcox said it was great to have an initiative that could encourage seabirds to not only stay in the area but come back and begin breeding.
“Having that protected space that would allow them to display their natural behaviours would be wonderful.”
Despite the benefits, there are some in the community concerned about the changes the Dark Sky bid could entail.
Devascovi said the message was not “lights off or no light” but “responsible light”.
“You have to think for billions of years nature was relying on a very predictable day and night cycle and in the last 150 years we have completely disrupted that cycle.”
The next step is developing a lighting management plan that will allow more stargazing for generations to come.
