Mt John Observatory

The University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory is New Zealand's premier astronomical research observatory, situated at 1,029 metres (3,376 ft) ASL atop Mount John at the northern end of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island. The observatory has several telescopes, including a 1.8 metre MOA telescope, and is home to the HERCULES spectrograph. It is located within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, which has a Bortle Scale of 2. The observatory offers stargazing experiences, including a summit experience with guided tours and use of high-powered telescopes. The experience is suitable for families with children aged 10 and above, but is not currently wheelchair accessible