Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Skies

19/06/2026

In spring 2025, Southern Lakes Sanctuary, in collaboration with Tāhuna-Glenorchy Dark Skies and the help of a team of amazing volunteers, deployed 40 acoustic recording devices throughout the Rees Valley and Glenorchy to better understand the distribution and activity of pekepeka/long-tailed bats, ...

19/06/2026

What happens when the sun goes down in Glenorchy and the Rees Valley? 🎴🦇

In spring 2025, in collaboration with Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Skies and with the help of one of their amazing volunteers (thanks Shelley!), 40 acoustic recording devices were deployed throughout the Rees Valley and Glenorchy to better understand the distribution and activity of pekapeka (long-tailed bat), a nationally threatened native species.

We’ve now analysed the data and the results showed pekapeka were active almost every night during the monitoring period, with detections recorded across Glenorchy and throughout the Rees Valley as far as Shelter Rock Hut. Bats were even recorded flying over Glenorchy township on most nights!

Read more about our findings, and why pekapeka don’t seem to be as partial to coffee at Mrs Woolly’s as we are, here:

https://southernlakessanctuary.org.nz/what-the-night-revealed-listening-to-pekapeka-in-the-rees-and-glenorchy/

In spring 2025, Southern Lakes Sanctuary, in collaboration with Tāhuna-Glenorchy Dark Skies and the help of a team of amazing volunteers, deployed 40 acoustic recording devices throughout the Rees Valley and Glenorchy to better understand the distribution and activity of pekepeka/long-tailed bats, ...

28/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Cs5LpTRsf/
A reminder about how important moths are for pollination at night

Moths are not pests — they run the night shift of pollination. They carry pollen further than bees and visit flowers with deep corollas that no bee can reach.

In British gardens, moths pollinate evening primrose, night-scented stock, nicotiana, and honeysuckle — species that only open fully after dark.

When moths spiral around an outdoor light, it is not a malfunction — they navigate using the moon as a fixed reference point. A white bulb mimics that geometry and throws it off completely, trapping them in a loop until they exhaust themselves.

A white outdoor bulb draws moths in all night. An amber LED bulb does not attract them. Moths navigate past it and get on with the job.

Two garden plants worth growing alongside a night-lit wall: night-scented stock and nicotiana. Both open after dark, both are highly attractive to hawk-moths, and both set seed freely once established.

The change takes thirty seconds. A replacement amber bulb costs less than a pound. The same evening, moths that would have circled your front light instead visit your garden. 🌙🦋🌿🌸

07/04/2026

International dark sky week is coming up. Here are some webinars that might interest you, hosted by Dark Sky International.

07/04/2026

Awesome photos from the Artemis 2 mission

31/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BCmp87RmW/
Happening tomorrow....hopefully.

Send a message to learn more

04/03/2026

Lunar Eclipse. Tuesday the 3rd March

23/12/2025

Unbelievable!

For 4.5 billion years, Earth has known night, as half the planet slips into shadow, creating the natural cycle of light and dark under which life has evolved.

Now, a private startup is proposing a different future. Using thousands of satellites equipped with in-space mirrors, the company aims to reflect sunlight onto Earth’s surface at night, calling it “sunlight on demand.”

DarkSky opposes Reflect Orbital’s proposal as it is currently conceived and is calling on our community to take action. Sign DarkSky’s open letter to Reflect Orbital and its investors, and opt in for updates on this issue, including guidance on submitting comments to the FCC when the open comment period opens in early 2026.

The night is not for sale. We all deserve a voice in shaping the future of the night sky.

Learn more and sign today: https://bit.ly/4jqMN0J

12/12/2025

THE GEMINID METEOR SHOWER PEAKS THIS WEEKEND: The best meteor shower of 2025 peaks this weekend when Earth passes through a stream of debris from 'rock-comet' 3200 Phaethon. Forecasters expect dozens of bright Geminids per hour during the nights of Dec. 12-13 (50% to 75% peak) and Dec. 13-14 (peak night)

Now for the real talk: Meteor showers are almost always overhyped. Even the word shower is misleading, conjuring images of meteors falling like raindrops. In reality, even a great display such as the Geminids produces only one or two meteors per minute. It’s a slow show that rewards patience. Still, if you can spend half an hour under dark skies during the Geminid peak, you’re likely to see some beautiful shooting stars--and perhaps even a fireball or two.

The best time to look is during the moonless hours between 10 pm and 2 am local time. Jupiter is there, too!

Send a message to learn more

03/12/2025

I can recommend this course

Send a message to learn more