Benmore Peak

New Zealand / Canterbury / Twizel /
 observatory, weather / meteorological station
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Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benmore_Peak
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Coordinates:   44°24'52"S   170°5'53"E

Comments

  • One of the best astronomical observing sites on planet Earth. The night sky is as dark as that above Chile and Hawaii, if not actually darker. The air transparency easily rivals that of those sites. I would rate the astronomical seeing of the Chilean desert to be slightly superior to that of Benmore Peak, while Mauna Kea's is very similar. Chile can boast a larger number of photometric nights annually, while Benmore Peak would be approximately equal to Mauna Kea, although the latter has the advantage of an extra 2,000+ meters altitude. Rating: Chile #1, Mauna Kea #2, Benmore Peak #3. It's a very close race however. (Access to the Benmore Peak site is not as good as either of the other locations.)
  • BPO is an amazing site. However the road is very rough! It is really a farmer's track only. It is worth of making the effort. What a sky - My SQM exceeded 22 for the first time ever! There is no obstructions and no light pollution at all. BPO is cold site so don't forget the extra jacket and mittens.
  • This is a very dark site - the local SQM-LE unit was reading between 21.9 and 22.0 when I was there observing. Great seeing and transparency too at the time, but it may not always be so as it is downwind of other mountains, although they are quite distant. One thing is that there is no luxury visitor center at the observatory. The place is pretty spartan, so don't expect too much in that regard. As for the "road", don't even think about it. It's a hair-raising bone-shaking rock-strewn dirt strip! Okay maybe if you are into adventure sport but I grabbed a helicopter from the nearby village of Twizel and it was money well-spent! :) Definitely worth your time but be sure to go prepared. You'll need winter clothing and you should probably take your own food and drinks instead of mooching off the observatory folks. Doug.
  • Yeah this is a great site.....maybe the best I have ever seen.....but I can't say I was made to feel overly welcome by the owner or the varsity dudes who were also there......Why is it that amateur astronomers are always treated like gatecrashers? So I give this 5 stars and 2 thumbs up for site and sky quality but only 2 stars and 2 thumbs down for their attitude towards visitors.
  • Regarding comments by Mal Content and others, I wish to make something clear: Benmore Peak Observatory is NOT a public site. Many of our visitors are uninvited, and technically trespassing. The mountain ecosystem is very fragile and easily (and often) damaged by ignorant sightseers in 4WD vehicles. Our local climate can be severe. Therefore we actively discourage the majority of those who ask to visit (and most certainly those who don't ask). Due to the remoteness and isolation of the site, our resources are usually rather limited, and little (if any) can be spared for uninvited "guests" who arrive unexpectedly and almost always with no provisions of their own. If you wish to utilise BPO and have a worthy observing plan, you MUST arrange your visit with us prior to your arrival. Thank you. BPO management.
  • great site ..... really dark and amazing sky..... not too high not too low..... recommended.
  • teleckop
  • I've visited the 'site', and there is _no_ observatory. I looked, but couldn't find. I asked some people at the Mount Johns cafe, who told me I couldn't find what does not exist!
  • I'm sorry, but this is nonsense.
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This article was last modified 8 years ago