Ever
noticed how few stars you’ll see when you’re visiting a
big city? That’s the result of light pollution that stems
from tightly clustered streetlights, buildings, homes and
other urban infrastructure, not to mention an increasing
number of satellites. It’s a growing issue that not only
dims our view of the cosmos but also limits our connection
to stories and traditions written in the stars.
As
recipient of the Borrin
Foundation’s 2025 Travel and Learning Award, Dr Shea
Esterling of Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of
Canterbury’s Te Kaupeka Tura | Faculty of Law will be
exploring International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) across
Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia this year.
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DarkSky
International defines IDSPs as certified global locations
with naturally dark skies and minimal light pollution, ideal
for stargazing. Takapō, home to UC’s
Mount John Observatory, a world-renowned astronomical
research centre, is one of nine officially
recognised IDSPs in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The
research funding awarded will enable Dr Esterling to
investigate how IDSPs are regulated and how best to protect
them, not just for astronomy, but as vital components of our
shared cultural heritage.
Her study will explore how
law and policy can help preserve dark skies, particularly in
a time when space activity is accelerating but legislation
hasn’t quite caught up.
While Aotearoa New Zealand
has welcomed the creation
of a public holiday around Matariki, Dr Esterling
identifies a crucial contradiction.
“We’ve made
Matariki a national holiday, which is incredible, yet local
councils often celebrate it with drone shows and light
festivals — which ironically make the stars harder to see.
You can’t enjoy Matariki without being able to see the
stars.”
Beyond cultural and environmental value, the
protection of our IDSPs also offers economic
potential.
Stargazing and astrophotography experiences
draw increasing numbers of visitors to these special and
unique areas. The Mount John Observatory benefits directly
from these groups. Observatory tours managed by the Dark
Sky Project, leaders in astro-tourism, offer visitors
exclusive mountaintop stargazing in hopes of igniting a
lasting impression for dark sky preservation.
With the
potential to inform or steer policy around the protection of
these spaces, Dr Esterling’s research may be valuable in
also supporting sustainable tourism, and local
livelihoods.
Her interest in the issue was sparked by
a colleague who first introduced her to the concept of
IDSPs. As a lawyer, Dr Esterling was quick to ask: ‘Who
gets to define these places, what’s the process, and
who’s involved in those decisions?’
This curiosity
turned into a broader investigation, and Dr Esterling is now
working on legislation that could bridge the legal gap
between space development and cultural protection. She’s
particularly focused on how Indigenous knowledges —
especially mātauranga Māori and Aboriginal astronomy —
can be embedded in respective legal frameworks.
“The
project is really a conduit — a platform for Indigenous
voices and knowledges to be heard and recognised. I want to
be guided by the people I interview. What matters to them?
What do they want policymakers to understand?”
Her
fieldwork will include site visits and interviews at 13
certified dark sky locations across Aotearoa New Zealand and
Australia. Special attention will be paid to the voices of
Indigenous women, who often act as knowledge holders in
their communities.
With a new Ministry
for Space, recent space-related legislation, and
increased activity from private space companies, the timing
of this research feels particularly poignant. Dr Esterling
also sees a broader pattern playing out — a global
backlash against scientific and expert voices, placing
Indigenous worldviews and traditions at a greater risk of
being overlooked.
“If we lose dark skies, we lose
crucial aspects of Indigenous knowledges and identity,”
she says. “We don’t need more cars flying into space.
The stars should be enough, shouldn’t
they?”