Dark Sky Mata ki te Rangi

With exceptionally stunning dark skies free from all light pollution, the Pitcairn Islands has been named the only island group in the world to be a designated International Dark Sky Sanctuary. The designation was awarded by the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA) following application work by the Pitcairn Tourism, Conservation and Environment teams.

Mata ki te Rangi (Eyes to the Sky) encompasses all four islands in the Pitcairn Islands Group, a total land area of 43.25 km2. and a sanctuary area of 834,000 sq. km. The people of Pitcairn have been working toward this application since August 2017 and with this designation small Astro-tourism ventures are currently being established as a new activity to help boost the island’s visitor economy.
Dark Sky datestamp

Tourism head Heather Menzies states: “As a community, from our tiny advantage point, we deeply value our unparalleled view of the universe but also benefit from the physical and psychological wellbeing that a truly dark sky affords all people”. A Government of Pitcairn Islands (GPI) Outdoor Lighting Management Regulation has been approved and enacted. Marketing Pitcairn’s pollution free night skies has begun, and an education and outreach programme has been developed for implementation from 2019.

It was also the economic gain attributed to astro-tourism that the Pitcairners sought. Menzies travelled to the Aoraki McKenzie Dark Sky Reserve in the South Island of New Zealand to check out their results. “I wanted to get a sense of how a conservation commitment to protecting the night sky can impact positively on a region’s visitor economy”. With Aoraki McKenzie getting over 1M visitors in 2017-18, Menzies described this result as incredible.

On March 18th 2019 the IDSA formally approved Mata ki te Rangi (Eyes to the Sky)– being designated an official International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

This stamp issue was made possible by the stunning work of astro-photographer Chris Pegman from Kerikeri, New Zealand.

Dark Sky Mata ki te Rangi
Please Note: All prices are in New Zealand Dollars

Miniature Sheet with 4 stamps		$7.30
First Day Cover with 4 stamps		$8.80

Technical Details

Designer:	Denise Durkin, Wellington, New Zealand	Pitcairn Stamps proudly brought to you by:
Printer:	Southern Colour Print, Dunedin, New Zealand
Process:	Offset Litho
Stamp size:	50.00mm x 25.00mm
Mini Sheet Size:	155.00mm x 98.00mm
Format:	Four joined stamps in a die cut miniature sheet
Denominations:	$0.20c; $2.00; $2.10 and $3.00
Paper:	106gsm Tullis Russell Red phosphor gummed stamp paper
Period of Sale:	4 September 2019 for a period of 2 years