Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Stars of Tekapo (Premium)
Episode Date: December 3, 2019This is a preview episode. Get the full episode, and many more, ad free, on our supporter's feed: https://getsleepy.com/support. The Stars of Tekapo Narrated by Thomas Jones. Relax along the banks of ...Lake Tekapo in New Zealand and gaze upon the brilliant night sky. About Get Sleepy Premium: Help support the podcast, and get: Monday and Wednesday night episodes (with zero ads) The exclusive Thursday night bonus episode Access to the entire back catalog (also ad-free) Premium sleep meditations, extra-long episodes and more! We'll love you forever. ❤️ Get a 7 day free trial, and join the Get Sleepy community here https://getsleepy.com/support. And thank you so, so much. Tom, and the team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Hi, Thomas here. You're listening to a preview episode. You can enjoy the entire story tonight
by subscribing to our supporters' feed. There you'll get access to the entire back
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Situated at the heart of New Zealand's South Island. Lake Tecapote is one of the most
breathtaking areas of natural beauty on the entire planet.
With clear and vibrant blue waters, the vast lake is itself a glistening pool of
paradise. But better yet, the lake is surrounded by fiercely varied landscapes.
Snow-top mountains, green forested hills, expansive farmland, and the occasional village of Located on the south-eastern corner of the lake is the town of Tecapo.
It offers locals and visitors some incredibly scenic views across the border.
On land there are a number of fantastic attractions also. These include a Quentin
petite Catholic church which attracts a plethora of tourists but maintains a
sense of peace and calm within.
As you sit inside this peaceful church a crucifix stands tall with a serene backdrop of the lake and
mountains. Nearby you can stroll across an impressive modern footbridge that stretches over the dam, offering some excellent photo opportunities.
And then, perhaps most famous of all, Tecapo is inundated with elegant scatterings of wild
looping flowers, providing some bright and joyful colour for photographers and painters who might visit the area.
The beauty found here in the daylight hours is truly astonishing.
However, once the sun goes down and the night draws in, the spectacle above the air of the atmosphere is even more
staggering. And that is where we'll be taking our imaginations tonight. The University of Canterbury's Mount John Observatory is located just a couple of miles north
of Tecapo.
This is New Zealand's premier astronomical research centre.
It's built atop Mount John over 1,000 meters high and the observatory is perfectly set
for great views of the Milky Way and beyond.
The centre is home to several large telescopes, including its newest and perhaps finest apparatus that measures an impressive 1.8 meters in length.
This was funded by the Japanese for a collaborative project with the New Zealand astronomy wing.
For years, astronomers have studied the scene above from Mount John.
In that time, some notable discoveries have been made.
Possibly the site's greatest finding came back in 2008.
Astronomers discovered what was, at the time time the smallest planet ever found outside of
our solar system.
At just over three times the size of Earth, the planet was estimated to be 3,000 light light years from our location, an impressive find indeed.
As well as research use, the observatory regularly opens its doors for night tours.
These are small group tours exclusively run by a local tourist operator.
Visitors are invited to stargaze from the idyllic spot surrounded by darkness.
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