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#darkskysanctuary

Enjoy Jupiter in July!
Enjoy Jupiter in July!
by HildeH on July 3, 2020 with No Comments

Enjoying Jupiter

Uncategorised #darkskyexperiences, #darkskysanctuary, #goodheavensnz, #greatbarrierisland, #newzealand, #stargazing

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darkskyexperiences

Another favourite Barrier activity... The beach wa Another favourite Barrier activity... The beach walk. 😎

This is Medlands beach, the beach where most of our group experiences take place. 🌌

Lots of things to do here in the day time, too. 🚶🏃🤸🧜

Only one star visible though, all others fading in her light. ☀️ 

Happy Easter from the Good Heavens team! 🐣

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#greatbarrierisland
#walk
#run
#surf
#mermaiding
#sunseasurf
#barrierbliss
#sunnydays
#starrynights
#babyclouds
#surfdudes
#darkskyexperiences
#thesunourstar
#lovebarrier
#dosomethingnewnz
Did you know that Easter generally falls on the fi Did you know that Easter generally falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox?⠀
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The 2021 equinox was on March 20 - the unofficial beginning of autumn for us in the Southern Hemisphere and spring for the Northern Hemisphere.⠀
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The first full moon after the March equinox is this weekend, with the crest of the moon’s full phase falling on Sunday March 29, 2021 in New Zealand. ⠀
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So in 2021, Easter is the following Sunday, April 4. ⠀
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Enjoy Easter!⠀
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Source: EarthSky⠀
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#Easter⠀
#whyeaster⠀
#wheneaster⠀
#moonandeaster⠀
#equinox⠀
#moon⠀
#beach⠀
#cycling⠀
#walking⠀
#greatbarrierisland⠀
@greatbarrierislandofficial
When you post in the wrong feed... 🤪 When you post in the wrong feed... 🤪
🥰 🥰
Secretly, we are starting to look forward to winte Secretly, we are starting to look forward to winter. And for us, winter starts when it's still quite warm...⠀
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How so? For us winter starts when we can start our stargazing experiences at 730pm. So as soon as daylight saving finishes around 4 April, winter starts, and it doesn't finish till the end of September.⠀
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If you are not a night owl, and like to be in bed before the clock strikes ten, winter is the perfect stargazing time for you. ⠀
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It's a great time to take smaller kids and the elderly stargazing, especially when it's still quite warm, so in April and May.⠀
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Hurray for winter, with it's early nights, it's blankets, it's beanies and it's hot water bottles.❄️♥️
Coming to Great Barrier Island, the flight is part Coming to Great Barrier Island, the flight is part of the experience.🛩️

Why book a scenic flight above Auckland when you can fly to your stargazing experience instead... ✨😉
Lots to do on the Barrier in the day time, too. Mo Lots to do on the Barrier in the day time, too. Mostly nature related, of course.🌱

The pics are from a stroll to the Whangapoua lookout.🏃

An easy, slightly aerobic walk, of around half an hour, with glimpses of the Okiwi valley and of the beach below. 😍

If you feel energetic, keep going and do the 12km walk to the Harataonga campground.🤸

In that case arrange a pickup at the other end to get back to your car.🚙

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#walkandshine
#islandexplorations
#wheresthebeach
#olalaviews
#energetic
#nztramps
#nzhikes
#slightlyless
#greatwalk 😁
#notjuststarsthatshine
#cloudyskyexperiences
#waitingfortheskytoclear
#greatbarrierisland
#aoteagreatbarrierisland
If you want to book a #heavensabove private starga If you want to book a #heavensabove private stargazing experience, and you would like us to come to your accommodation, please note that some properties are more suitable than others.⠀
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Or if you haven't got a car and would like to know where you can stay within walking distance form your #lookupandgetlost group stargazing experience, please get in touch with us. ⠀
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We are happy to make a recommendation.⠀
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#xspotgbi⠀
#honeymoon⠀
#proposal⠀
#stargazing⠀
#greatbarrierisland⠀
#goodheavens⠀
#goodheavensnz⠀
#stargazingnz
COVID 19: Aotea/Great Barrier Island is at alert l COVID 19: Aotea/Great Barrier Island is at alert level 3️⃣ like the rest of Auckland. This means travel to the island is not allowed unless it is your main place of residence.

Good Heavens is not operating under level three, but we are looking forward to taking you stargazing as soon as we reach level 2️⃣ or below.

In the meantime, please don't forget to look up and get lost in the stars from your balcony or backyard. ✨ There's a whole universe out there.

Kia Kaha from the team. Hang on in there 🤗

PS The artwork in the photo, entitled Level 3, with ceramic and found objects is by Great Barrier Island artist and friend @potty_sarah 🎨

Don't forget to check out her gallery and studio in Shoal Bay, Tryphena, when you are next on our beautiful Motu. 🌌

#level3 
#levelup 
#closedforbusiness 
#stargazersunited 
#stargazingwhereveryouare
#lovefromtheteam
#💓
#✨
#kiakaha
Before you come to Great Barrier Island for your s Before you come to Great Barrier Island for your stargazing experience, we'd like you to know THE NITTY GRITTY OF GREAT BARRIER ISLAND - as it pays to come prepared 😎 ⠀
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Great Barrier Island has:⠀
•	No street lights - It's awfully dark at night! Bring a torch!⠀
•	No public transport or taxis - Walk, rent a car/ebike or book a shuttle in advance ⠀
•	No malls - Only galleries/shops where many products are unique. No big brands here. ⠀
•	No large supermarkets either - Dairy style grocery shops that are often more expensive due to freight cost and sometimes they even run out of basic stuff, so that you may have to accept an alternative⠀
•	Limited dining options - Cook your own dinner or check what's open when and book in advance ⠀
•	No fresh local fish for sale - Catch your own ⠀
•	No reticulated power - Leave hairdryers and rice cookers at home, conserve power ⠀
•	No reticulated water - Bathe in the sea, or take short showers, especially in summer ⠀
•	Zero waste community - Figure out what to do with your waste or bring it home, and visit our opp shops and recycling centre ⠀
•	No fun parks and adrenaline rides - Make your own fun in the waves, the bush and on the beach. ⠀
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Does all this sound like too much of a challenge? Then Great Barrier Island is not for you. ⠀
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We'd love to take you stargazing, but accepting the island and its inhabitants with their quirks is a prerequisite. It's what makes this place so special and it's what we love. 😁⠀
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If you need help with your visit to the island, the visitor information centre at the airport in Claris is a great place to start #greatbarrierislandofficial⠀
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#greatbarrierisland⠀
#otherexperiences⠀
#nostreetlights⠀
#notaxis⠀
#nobuses⠀
#nomalls⠀
#nopower⠀
#nowater⠀
#nozoo⠀
#nofunpark⠀
#funconservationpark⠀
#motubikes⠀
#specialplace⠀
#sustainabledestination⠀
#offgridcommunity⠀
@bekiwi
Great Barrier Island's full of surprises, on land, Great Barrier Island's full of surprises, on land, in our super Dark Sky, and often also out to sea. Keep your eyes 👀 peeled for natural and other wonders!
This image was taken by Josh, after a stargazing e This image was taken by Josh, after a stargazing experience the other night, through his iphone12. ⠀
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We were a bit impressed with the phone's ability to take dark sky images. Have any of you had similar results with either an iphone or an android? Has anyone been using the new dark sky photo apps?⠀
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And yes, that's me, shining the laser pointer just beyond Orion's sword. Matariki in the bottom left corner. Thanks so much for the photo, Josh.⠀
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#iphone12⠀
#darkskyphotography⠀
#darkskyexperiences⠀
#stargazing⠀
#greatbarrierisland⠀
#orion⠀
#matariki⠀
#sevensisters⠀
#pleiades⠀
#subaru⠀
#photoapps
Deb testing binoculars. Every stargazer gets to us Deb testing binoculars. Every stargazer gets to use a pair during our stargazing experience. It's amazing how much more you can see, beyond what's visible with the naked eye.

We specifically use them to look at open star clusters... ✨
Aotea - Great Barrier Island is a Dark Sky Sanctua Aotea - Great Barrier Island is a Dark Sky Sanctuary, among the darkest places in the world in a fragile natural environment.⠀
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Our island is one of the few sanctuaries in the world, that are not only within easy reach, but also within city boundaries of a major city (Auckland) and at only half an hour's flight time from an international airport. ⠀
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Aotea is also one of very few places in the world where you have a choice of many comfortable lodgings to lay your head to rest after you've been stargazing.⠀
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A quote from the International Dark Sky Association's website: ⠀
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"An IDA Dark Sky Sanctuary is public or private land that has an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage and/or public enjoyment.⠀
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A sanctuary differs from a Dark Sky Park or Reserve - [like for instance Tekapo] - in that it is typically situated in a very remote location with few (if any) nearby threats to the quality of its dark night skies......"⠀
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In addition, and despite or perhaps thanks to its isolated location in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, the island has lots to offer - wonderful walks in and out of the biggest conservation park in the Auckland area, solitary beaches, several taonga - endangered natural treasures - and a vibrant creative artistic community, providing several galleries with excellent art and crafts. There are even two micro-breweries and a distillery plus several island made beauty product ranges. Sounds to good to be true?⠀
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In this perfect environment, Good Heavens would be delighted to introduce you to the delights of a comfortable, informed and entertaining stargazing experience.⠀
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Thanks for the photo #carolcomerphotography⠀
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#darkskyexperiences⠀
#greatbarrierisland⠀
#nzmustdo⠀
#stargazingnz⠀
#stargazing⠀
#nicelyisolated⠀
#somuchtodo⠀
#discover⠀
#island⠀
#galleries⠀
#microbrewery⠀
@islandgin⠀
@bekiwi
@darkskytravels
Today's new moon marks the start of the lunar New Today's new moon marks the start of the lunar New Year, the year of the Ox. Happy New Year,  everyone!⠀
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And 2021 is the Year of the Metal Ox. People born in this year are supposed to be diligent, honest, reliable, stable, persevering and stubborn. Sounds good to us.⠀
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Tonight, on this night of the new moon, we'll be enjoying a super dark sky and as the recent rain will have washed the dust out of the sky, we're expecting it to be super clear.⠀
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We do still have availability on our 1115pm Stargazing Experience, so book in now if you are keen.⠀
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Look out for oxes along your way, as similar beasts do live on Great Barrier Island and they are sometimes seen wandering along the road, in their rugged fluffiness.⠀
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#yearoftheox⠀
#happynewyear⠀
#metalox⠀
#newmoon⠀
#darkskyexperiences⠀
#diligent⠀
#honest⠀
#reliable⠀
#superdarksky⠀
#goodheavensgbi
Congrats New Zealanders! with new official public Congrats New Zealanders! with new official public holiday Matariki, first to be celebrated as a national holiday on Friday 24 June 2022! ⠀
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A true New Zealand holiday... which is "a time for reflection and celebration, and our first public holiday that recognises Te Ao Māori," Jacinda Ardern said.⠀
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"This will be a day to acknowledge our nation's unique, shared identity, and the importance of tikanga Māori. It's going to be something very special, and something uniquely New Zealand."⠀
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It is also, of course, a great opportunity to celebrate New Zealand's beautiful southern hemisphere sky, and the spectacular open star cluster of Matariki. ⠀
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Good Heavens are happy to show you Matariki in the evening sky throughout the warmer months, from October through to March/April. ⭐️🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟⭐️⠀
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Photo credit: NASA picture of the day: https://buff.ly/2GJChTR⠀
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#nzholiday⠀
#matariki⠀
#celebration⠀
#starcluster
#holiday 
#celebrate 
#stargazing 
#stargazingnz
#darkskyexperiences
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+64 274 290 877

PO Box 76, Tryphena Great Barrier Island (Aotea), Auckland 0991 New Zealand
Great Barrier Island International Dark Sky Sanctuary

© 2021 Good Heavens. Image Credits: Carmen Bird, Mark Russell, Carol Comer & Hilde Hoven. Website: Little Biz Online.