Southern Cross

The southern stars shine above the Church of the Good Shepherd at the shore of Lake Tekapo in New Zealand. Notable in the sky field is the constellation of Southern Cross (right above the church) and bright stars of Alpha and Beta Centauri (to the right). Lake Tekapo is located on the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand. Mount John University Observatory, New Zealand’s premier astronomical observatory, is situated near the lake and with support of New Zealand government the starry sky of the lake is considered a nominate site for UNESCO Starlight Reserve initiative; a new approach to preserve the dark sites as a World Heritage. As noted by the photographer “Lake Tekapo is a photographer’s paradise in which I am happy to be living and working. All year round you can be assured of fantastic scenery. I work on Mt John, where I manage a small cafe by day and take photos by night.”