New Zealand news and events over the past month have been dominated by Cyclone Gabrielle and the ‘once in a 200 year’ deluge that occurred a couple of weeks before it. There is growing acceptance that such events are likely the result of climate change and though addressing climate change is a very broad topic there is a nature conservation niche which astronomers have initiated and continue to lead namely preserving the natural night skies.

Protecting the natural night skies is important not only for the astronomic and scientific community but also to preserve ecological-biological systems, to minimise the impact of light pollution on human health and to ensure our ongoing cultural link with the night sky. Over the past month RASNZ has been involved in the following initiatives in this area:

• Making a written submission on the Natural Built Environment Bill to address light pollution and further support it with oral submissions on 17 February and 20 February 2023.

• Progressing the Globe at Night

• Promoting and supporting the ‘Petition’ to New Zealand Parliament (open until 20 April 2023) which now has over 1,000 signatures.

This month, we welcome Great South as a new RASNZ Corporate Member. Being the Southland Regional Development Agency and the Regional Tourism Organisation for Southland, Great South created and now manage Stewart Island/Rakiura International Dark Sky Sanctuary and are currently working on establishing Fiordland National Park as an International Dark Sky place. In its former guise as Venture Southland, Great South was also instrumental in establishing the 'Awarua Satellite Ground Station'. Its participation in RASNZ and its Affiliated Society activities has included hosting the RASNZ Lecture Trust’s BHT Lecture Series in 2022.

Other RASNZ activities include:

• Various RASNZ members providing responses to the media regarding C/2022 E3 (ZTF) aka the ‘Green Comet’ and thereby contributing to public understanding of comets and specifically this one.

• A ‘Meteorite Search’ in partnership with Northland Astronomical Society, to be held in a designated area of Northland, and scheduled for 25 February 2023.

RASNZ Council has been working to prepare its Annual Report to membership that comprises of individual reports prepared by the various components of RASNZ. We have also been working on finalising our accounts and having them audited so they can be included in the Annual Report. The Annual Report will be presented in the March 2023 issue of Southern Stars and discussed at the RASNZ AGM during the RASNZ Conference in Auckland scheduled for 2-4 June, 2023.

The Affiliated Society monthly meetings have now recommenced after the Christmas/Summer break. Meeting virtually via Zoom, this monthly forum is an opportunity for Affiliated Society representatives to share ideas, discuss topics of common interest and to explore areas where societies can support each other and where RASNZ can provide support. This forum is working well and witnessing ever increasing levels of participation.

You should be aware that ‘Sporty’, the technology platform for member management and recently implemented by RASNZ, now offers a smartphone App. Through this App one can access the RASNZ website, Facebook page, online resources and news items and I most certainly encourage members to download and use it. Work is also currently underway to develop a dedicated RASNZ members’ area on our website that will provide member specific information and resources. I will of course let you know when it is operational.

Hopefully the above illustrates that your society is alive, proactive and well. If you would like to join in and help us to continue to make a difference we are, as ever, always happy to hear from you.

Clear skies!

Nalayini Davies, FRASNZ, MSc (Astronomy)

President – Royal Astronomical Society of NZ

president@rasnz.org.nz

Article added: Monday 20 February 2023