Half-hour blackout for comet viewing
The Canterbury Astronomical Society has restricted the time it wants Christchurch street lighting turned off to see Halley’s Comet next year because of concern noted by local authorities.
The society now wants the lighting turned off from midnight to 12.30 a.m. between March 30 and April 16. An earlier request to local bodies was for lights to be out from 3 am. onwards over a longer period.
The Christchurch City Council, and some other authorities, had been concerned about the danger to motorists and the possible increase in thefts and burglaries if the lights were out for any great length of time. It set up a sub-committee to find a compromise. Some other local authorities approved the society’s original request to make vising of
the comet easier in the city. In a letter to the City Council, the society noted that a lights-out in Pennsylvania for astronomical reasons resulted in a drop in accident rates and thefts.
It had sought a lights-out for a similar period to that approved already in other cities but had revised that to the shorter time.
The request was made not for the astronomers themselves but for the public, the letter said. Society members would watch the comet from the society’s West Melton observatory. The City Council’s airport and electricity committee yesterday recommended liaison between local councils to achieve a standard policy before reporting back to the sub-committee. Helicopters
The provision to move the siting of Garden
copters, Ltd, elsewhere within Christchurch Airport will be built into the firm’s lease from the council. A deed for a 12-year lease of a Memorial Avenue site is at present being renewed by the firm. Because of provision for development in the airport’s master plan, the committee thought it wise to write in the relocation clause after discussion with the firm. Airport jubilee An airport jubilee subcommittee will be formed to oversee the celebrations at the airport early in 1987. The committee approved the appointment of a commercial manager as a consultant for jubilee organisations and the planned air show. A budget of $20,000 has been made for the celebrations. i
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Press, 6 December 1985, Page 5
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358Half-hour blackout for comet viewing Press, 6 December 1985, Page 5
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