Kaikoura Dark Sky Trust

24/09/2026

MEET OUR FEBRUARY CALENDAR SUPPORTER | ATA RANGI LODGE

Ata Rangi Lodge, a private luxury lodge in a pretty special part of Kaikōura features as February in our calendar. Imagine ending your days adventures in the Kaikōura hills, with views stretching from the Seaward Kaikōura Range to the Pacific Ocean and then watching the stars take over.
Thank you to Ata Rangi Lodge for supporting our work to protect the incredible night skies above us.
A reminder calendars are on sale now for $28 each. Purchase directly from the Kaikoura Visitor Centre or Kaikoura Museum or online via https://kaikouradarksky.nz/kaikoura-dark-sky-calendar-2027/

24/09/2026

A great story in The Press about Kaikōura Dark Sky Trust trustee Brian Horsfall, his lifelong passion for astronomy and all that he has achieved along the way. We can’t wait to see where your next dark sky adventure takes you.

Well done, Brian and good luck 🔭✨

When Brian Horsfall moved to Kaikōura 10 years ago, he never imagined it would lead to a career in astrotourism.

21/09/2026

A timely reminder that protecting our dark skies is about so much more than seeing the stars.

Our special Kaikōura tītī/Hutton’s shearwaters are returning for another breeding season. Reducing unnecessary outdoor lighting can make a real difference as they travel between the mountains and the sea.

Please have a read and help look out for these precious locals. 💙

14/09/2026

What a lovely way to celebrate two years as a DarkSky International designated Sanctuary.

A relaxed and atmospheric evening around the fire with hot chocolate, good company and some beautiful stars overhead.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, and to Fyffe House for once again providing such a special place to come together under Kaikōura’s night sky❤️

Read more about our celebration with a few pics here:
https://kaikouradarksky.nz/celebrating-two-years-as-an-international-dark-sky-sanctuary/

DarkSky International

On Saturday 12 September, exactly two years to the day since Kaikōura was officially recognised as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, we came together on the lawn at Fyffe House to celebrate. The clouds peeled back, the stars came out, and what a beautiful evening unfolded. The Milky Way right…

11/09/2026

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY - COME CELEBRATE WITH US TONIGHT🥳

Today marks two years since the Kaikōura Dark Sky Sanctuary was officially recognised and we’d love you to come and celebrate with us!

Come and gather around the fire at Fyffe House for a relaxed evening with friends, celebrating our very special dark skies.

And if the stars are out, so will be the telescopes! We’ll have telescopes, binoculars and the laser pointer ready for some stargazing.

TONIGHT — Saturday 12 September
7pm–9pm
Fyffe House, Kaikōura
FREE community event

Wrap up warmly and come along for as much or as little of the evening as you like. Everyone is welcome.

We’ll only cancel if the weather makes the evening unsuitable — check our page or website for any updates.

07/09/2026

MEET OUR CALENDAR SUPPORTERS | DESTINATION KAIKŌURA

Over the next 12 weeks, we’re celebrating the wonderful local businesses and organisations who have helped make our 2027 Kaikōura Dark Sky Calendar possible.

First up is Destination Kaikoura.

With mountains, ocean, wildlife and extraordinary dark skies there are plenty of reasons why Kaikōura is such a special place to call home and to visit.

A huge thank you to Destination Kaikōura for supporting the first month in the 2027 calendar and helping us celebrate.

Order your calendar here - https://kaikouradarksky.nz/kaikoura-dark-sky-calendar-2027/ or purchase directly from the Kaikoura Museum.

Every calendar sold helps support the work of the Kaikōura Dark Sky Trust to protect our night skies for future generations.


📷 JWPK Photography

01/09/2026

Our next Informal Astronomy Talk is coming up at the Kaikoura Museum on Tuesday 8 September, 5.30–6.30pm.

TOPICS
🔭 Hands-on session with Telescopes PART TWO - looking at different scopes than last session – Larry Field

🌟 How are stars named? – Brian Horsfall
Ever wondered why stars can have several different names and numbers? Brian will explain how stars are named and introduce some of the different star catalogues you’ll come across when using Stellarium.

See you on next Tuesday!

30/08/2026

A bit thanks to the local Kaikōura businesses stepping up for darker skies. It’s fantastic to see their efforts to help reduce light pollution getting some wider coverage. Protecting our incredible night skies really is a community wide effort ❤️

A number of businesses have been making simple but effective changes to their outdoor lighting recently by installing motion sensors, so lights are only on when needed instead of all night. Small changes that can make a real difference while still maintaining safety and security which is always the priority.

Read the news article here:
https://www.odt.co.nz/canterbury/north-canterbury/kaikoura-businesses-step-up-to-comply-with-dark-sky-rules-yytkvbkr

And see the full story, including examples of the lighting changes being made, on our website here:
https://kaikouradarksky.nz/supportive-kaikoura-businesses-make-effective-lighting-changes-for-darker-skies/

If you’re a Kaikōura business and would like some practical advice about your outdoor lighting, we’d love to chat over a coffee.

Kaikōura businesses step up to comply with dark sky rules

26/08/2026

It was great to see some of our regular attendees, along with plenty of new faces, at Tuesday evening’s Astronomy Talk at the Kaikoura Museum.

A huge thank you to Larry for bringing along a range of different telescopes for everyone to learn about and explore. There’s nothing quite like being able to see the equipment up close and ask plenty of questions.

Thanks to everyone who came along, and we hope to see you at the next talk.