Rakiura — 'glowing skies' in Māori — is the best-placed inhabited spot on Earth for the aurora australis, and it was named for the lights long before anyone measured why. A certified Dark Sky Sanctuary with around four hundred residents and one small village, it has almost no light pollution and an open southern ocean horizon. It still needs a real storm: this is Kp 6 country, not Tromsø.
Why it works
- Best geomagnetic latitude of any inhabited southern place
- Certified Dark Sky Sanctuary — almost no light pollution
- Uninterrupted southern ocean horizon
When activity is up, face south and get away from town lights — the lower the Kp, the more the display hugs the southern horizon.
Plan your visit
Tours & stays in Stewart Island
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- Booking.com
Aurora cabins & lodges
Cabins, lodges and aurora-view stays near Stewart Island — settle in and watch the lights.
Find stays - Discover Cars
Rent a car to chase clear skies
Self-drive to dark-sky spots away from town glow. Compare every local supplier.
Compare cars - SafetyWing
Cover the trip
Travel medical cover for a trip to Stewart Island — remote, cold and weather-dependent — from a few dollars a day.
Get covered
Where it’s reliable