President’s Desk

Following a very busy and productive 2022, we start 2023 with the exciting news that a further 1.4% of New Zealand’s natural night sky has been protected for us and future generations to enjoy. This is the result of a long journey and committed work by the dark sky community in south Wairarapa with support from numerous parties including a strong letter of support from Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern. It has led to Wairarapa International Dark Sky Reserve being accredited by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) as the 2^nd in New Zealand joining Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve and only the 21^st in the world. This is described in detail in this Newsletter by RASNZ member Dr. Tom Love who led this exercise to completion.

RASNZ has commenced 2023 supporting two specific initiatives. First is the Globe at Night ‘Citizen Science Campaign’ to measure the night sky brightness from whatever location you are in. In addition to the information and videos provided in this Newsletter, a Facebook live event with RASNZ Secretary Emily Barraclough is planned for Friday, 17 February 2023, to show you how to observe and record. And second is a ‘Petition’ to the New Zealand Parliament by RASNZ Councillor Professor John Hearnshaw to introduce national legislation to reduce light pollution. Details on both initiatives are available in this Newsletter and on the RASNZ website and it should only take 15 minutes and 2 minutes respectively to complete. We would very much appreciate it if you could undertake these small tasks and thereby add your weight to initiatives that have extremely beneficial goals. Both in their own way aim to minimise the impacts on light pollution on the ecological-biological systems adversely affecting biodiversity and health, as well as protecting our culturally, historically, astronomically and scientifically important night skies.

The other welcome news is our government’s recognition in the New Year’s Honours of Professor Rangi Matamua as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Māori astronomy which is covered in more detail in this Newsletter. Recognition of Māori astronomy has emerged strongly in recent years, with Matariki becoming a public holiday, an initiative spearheaded and led by Professor Matamua, giving it a boost and leading to a better understanding of Māori astronomy by the general public. RASNZ of course continues with its efforts to further support this aspect of astronomy.

Further to the work we undertook last year, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has advised that it has integrated as appropriate the inputs provided by RASNZ on the ‘New Zealand Space Policy Review’ and on ‘Developing the Aotearoa New Zealand Aerospace Strategy’.

Concerning some of the activities that RASNZ is currently focusing on, these include:

• Supporting the Globe at Night ‘Citizen Science Campaign’ set for 12-21 February 2023.
• Organising a ‘Meteorite Search’ in partnership with Northland Astronomical Society, in a designated area of Northland on one day of the weekend of 11/12 February 2023.
• Supporting the ‘Amateur Research Survey’ which had 98 responses and which the survey team is now working on, undertaking analysis, commentary and supplementary information gathering prior to arriving at potential ways in which RASNZ can support amateur research activity in astronomy in NZ.
• Supporting the ‘Petition’ to New Zealand Parliament closing on 20 April 2023.
• Organising the RASNZ annual conference on 2-4 June 2023 which will be hosted by Auckland Astronomical Society, which is also featured in this Newsletter.

Astronomy continues its move into the mainstream with increased interest in New Zealand the result of many factors including: the growth of our space industry ever since the New Zealand Space Agency was set-up in 2016; a significant growth in Māori astronomy following the recognition of Matariki as a public holiday; and increasing coverage in local and international media most recently highlighting the success of the JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) and DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) missions during the year.

Operated and managed entirely by volunteers when it was founded way back in 1920, as it was then so it is today. But since that time RASNZ has evolved into a multi-layered entity with a multi-faceted mission seeking to support the ever-increasing professional, amateur and public interest in astronomy in New Zealand. This has been achieved and can only continue to be delivered upon in 2023 and beyond through your generous support as members, volunteers, collaborators and donors, and for this we continue to say, ‘Thank you!’

Nalayini Davies, FRASNZ, MSc (Astronomy)

President – Royal Astronomical Society of NZ

president@rasnz.org.nz

Article added: Friday 20 January 2023