Blinded by the light

Here in Aotearoa, it's the winter solstice: the shortest day (and longest night) of the year. We're marking the occasion with an episode celebrating the starry night sky. Podcaster Max Balloch looks up in search of stories told through constellations, and finds that light pollution is smudging out the stars for many New Zealanders. What can be done to restore our connection with the night sky?

For humans all over the planet, and all across time, the night sky has been a catalyst for storytelling. Different cultures paint the dark with their own stories of the stars, about where they are, who they are, and what they believe.

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This isn't some ancient, forgotten art - it's alive, and it's organic. Victoria Campbell, a passionate educator of Mātauraka Māori and Māori astronomy says the most special star to her is Rehua.

"Rehua in particular is associated with knowledge. And as an educator, I find a really special connection there to be able to bring forth kōrero, or dialogue and discussion, about knowledge for the benefit of us going forward as a nation, and as a population," she says.

Rehua is part of the constellation known in some cultures - including Greek mythology - as Scorpius. In Polynesian cultures, it's known as Māui's fishhook. And in Java, Indonesia, it's referred to as "the brooded swan". These are three interpretations (among many) of the same pattern of stars, illustrating the connection between stars and storytelling that transcends culture, time, and space.

New Zealand has some of the most pristine skies on the planet. Those living in rural areas bathe in the lights of the universe and embrace the warm hug of the Milky Way that streams across the sky.

But for most people on Earth, the sky is being smudged out.

Light pollution, which occurs when excess light is reflected into the sky at night, is experienced by 83% of Earth's population. This yellow haze outshines the stars and melts the Milky Way out of view.

While many New Zealanders enjoy darkness, over half are left blinded by the light. Fifty-six percent of kiwis cannot see the Milky Way in the night sky, due to the light pollution leaking out from urban environments.

But it can be stopped, and we could have dark skies once again. Steve Butler, an award-winning DarkSky advocate, is one of the many kiwis fighting for the night.

"We sell ourselves as, you know, 100% pure. So, my view, is that to achieve 100% pure we should be looking after the night as well, so that's 50% of our environment," he says. …

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details