On the weekend of 12th to 14th April, Winterstellar Charitable Trust was proud to sponsor and facilitate the Aotearoa Astrotourism Academy‘s first visit to Central Otago.
WCT were able to do this due the Promotional Grant we gratefully received from the Vincent Community Board of Central Otago District Council.
Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery helped us host the largest gathering that an AAA course has attracted, and was described as “very successful” by Professor John Hearnshaw.
John was joined in his instruction duties by WCT Chair Professor Brian Boyle and other Aotearoa Astronomy luminaries including:
- Alan & Pam Gilmore from Mt John Observatory.
- Victoria Campbell from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Dark Sky Project in Tekapo.
- DarkSky International Vice Chair Nalayini Brito-Davies
- Gareth Davies director of Waiheke Island Observatory, DarkSky International Regional Coordinator (Oceania)
- Dr Stephen Chadwick, author and leading astro photographer
Attendants came from as far away as Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Kapiti on the North Island, and locals from Clyde, Alexandra, Lauder, Wanaka, Cromwell, Roxburgh and a vocal collection from Glenorchy.
Thank you so much for everything you and that astonishing array of talent and personalities you put together for we lucky participants at that wonderfully enjoyable three day course. Juliet and I loved every minute of it and were hugely inspired. We have always known that some sort of astronomical guidance and insights would be part of what we are trying to create here at LandEscape and now we have a much clearer idea of how we might incorporate it as we slowly develop our facilities … not to mention the extraordinary pool of knowledge and expertise we might be able to draw from as we try to put that together!
Rik from Wanaka
It is expected that the event will spur many efforts locally and around the motu on various fronts, such as Astrotourism, dark sky advocacy, or simply, more knowledgeable enjoyment of the night skies.
