2 products
One of the world’s most precious natural wonders, the spectacle of a clear night sky has fascinated humans for thousands of years. The position of stars helped to guide Polynesian navigators across the Pacific to Aotearoa New Zealand, and astronomy is one of the world’s oldest natural sciences.
Comprised of Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park and the Mackenzie Basin, Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. It was the first Dark Sky Reserve to be recognised in New Zealand, and third in the world. The reserve was established to protect the pristine dark skies of the Mackenzie region, which are mostly free of light pollution.
Light pollution is created by the use of artificial light at night, which impairs our ability to see the universe through the naked eye. To help the dark-sky cause, commercial enterprises are invited to apply for dark sky friendly certification. Supported by the Royal Astronomical Society’s Dark Sky Group and the International Dark-Sky Association, the Dark Sky Network NZ is campaigning to make Aotearoa New Zealand the first OECD dark sky nation.
To acknowledge the Māori New Year, the annual festival centered around the Matariki star cluster, this stamp sheetlet highlights Aotearoa New Zealand’s dark skies with a stunning image from Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.