By Iain Finer
In the western night sky something special shines strong and bright amongst a sparkling sea of stars. It seems star-like but the telescope reveals it’s wonderful colours, it’s huge ring of ice and rock and it’s underlying perfectly round form. It’s Saturn. And it’s breathtakingly stunning.
Welcome to the University of Canterbury Mt. John Observatory in Tekapo, New Zealand. Located in the central South Island, atop Mt John, 1013m above sea level, the facility boasts NZ’s largest telescope and an essential blacker than black sky.
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It’s chilly, almost –8 Deg C with wind chill factor. The supplied jackets are very much appreciated. It’s also kinda late – but I’m wide awake. This is not my first visit. I came as a youngster and was shown through what use to be the US Air Force satellite tracking station. I still remember it. But that time I never got to see Saturn!
My friend and I are on the ‘Earth and Sky’ night tour. You can find them down the mountain in the middle of the town of Tekapo. The staff; from the bus drivers to the guides are exceptional. Their passion and enthusiasm for the night sky is infectious – and I was already a fan to start with!
The tour begins with some insights into the southern hemisphere sky, as our eyes adjust the guides point out with lasers various aspects including Alpha Centauri A and B and how to use the Southern Cross to find South. I pleased because I remember some of this from my recent time at the International Space University! My friend who knows little about astronomy finds this segment extremely informative.
With our guides close by we then have 3 telescopes at our disposal; 9.25-inch, 11-inch and 16-inch. We yonder between all three until our feet approach freezing!
There are Nebulas, notably the Tarantula Nebula and the Diamond Cluster, Magellanic Clouds, and various other stars. Not to mention Saturn – but I think I mentioned that already!
However, it was truly captivating and the highlight of the tour for my friend and I. On first looking at it I had to pull my eye away from the eye-piece and tell myself that it was real. It looked exactly like an image you would see on the web, it was surreal.
Whether you are a space junkie or just fascinated by looking up at the sky at night and dreaming, this tour caters for everyone and is a must for anyone passing through the region.
Thanks to our fabulous tour guides you have re kindled my interest in the night sky and awoken my friends.
For more info visit: http://www.newzealandsky.com/earthandsky/