Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Park?

The Dark Sky Park is located between the Bungy Bridge and Nevis Bluff on SH6; extending to the Kawarau river to the north and the Gibbston Back Road in the south. 

 

Where is the best place to go?

Anywhere in the Kawarau-Gibbston Dark Sky Park is good. The Gibbston Back Road and Gibbston Community Reserve are particularly good.   If you are staying at the larger accommodations (Gibbston Valley Resort, Kinross), try to get away from their security lights and driveway/footpath lights which will restrict your night vision.  

 

Are there astronomy events in the Dark Sky Park?

A number of public events are held throughout the year.  Kinross and Gibbston Valley Cellar Doors have held specific astronomy events and there is a small public observatory at Antimony vineyard.  Antimony observatory also hosts the Kawara-Gibbston Dark Sky Interpretive Centre located in the SkyBox art gallery which can be visited during the day by appointment.

 

Can I see the aurora from Gibbston Dark Sky Park?

Yes you can. Just look, or point your smartphone, to the south.   Even although the mountains rise to around 20 degrees above the horizon, the aurora is still visible above them on nights when the aurora is active.   It is best to find a location looking south with no lights in your field-of-view.  A long exposure (30sec) image with your smartphone camera placed on a study mount should reveal if one is present.  Your eye only exposese for 0.1sec and its very sensitive to colour at night, so a smartphone will pick up an aurora even when you can't

 

When is the best time of year?

All times have their advantages and disadvantages.  The winter nights are spectacular with the centre of our Milky Way rising overhead.  The nights are long and start early.  But they are cold - around freezing or below).  In the summer, the nights are much warmer, but very short.  And it doesn't get astronomically dark until midnight.  Staying up will reward you with views of Orion and Matariki to the north.  Autumn is also a good time with the Milky Way rising majestically in the East, with the Southern Cross prominent.  In the Autumn the Magellanic clouds are particularly prominent.