Darkness isn't what it used to be around the globe.

With the centre of the Milky Way running right over our heads, New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to see our glorious galaxy.

Set above a dark velvet landscape on a clear night, the view is staggering.

Now Nalayini Davies with the International Dark Sky Association, backing Great Barrier Island becoming the third Dark Sky Sanctuary in August 2017, has pinpointed Rodney as a possible dark sky protection area.

Jonathan Green The dark night sky sees spectacular views of the Milky Way from Pākiri

After taking readings in the area, Davies is sure this northern area would qualify.

READ MORE:

* Artificial lights are eating away at dark nights - and that's not a good thing

* Great Barrier Island recognised as a Dark Sky Sanctuary

* Radio astronomy's Pakiri role

With so many people now living in cities with high levels of light pollution, the Milky Way is now hidden from more than a third of humanity. This includes 60 per cent of Europeans and nearly 80 per cent of North Americans.

NOAA Light pollution in north Auckland as captured by the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite

For many overseas visitors, the beauty of the dark skies is also a drawcard, as well as our glorious landscapes.

While working toward her master's degree in astronomy, Nalayini Davies found Great Barrier Island, with its lack of reticulated power and hence no street lighting, large areas of conservation land and being 90 kilometres from Auckland City, had night skies free from light pollution.

Enthusiastic locals, under her guidance, along with the local board and with backing from Councillor Mike Lee saw the island become the world's third Dark Sky Sanctuary, with some embracing its tourism potential.

Hilde Hoven, after training with John Drummond chairman of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand, has started astro-tourism company Good Heavens, which she runs with two other local women part-time. Very weather dependent, 120 island visitors have been through so far, although that's expected to increase over time. Also running an accommodation business it is now part of her business portfolio. Two other businesses have also sprung up from it.

Around Lake Tekapo the Aoraki MacKenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is just one of 11 reserves globally recognised by the International Dark Sky association. Home to University of Canterbury's Mt John Observatory there have been lighting controls in the area through the Mackenzie District Plan for around 30 years.

The Earth and Sky tourism operation using the observatory, expect to receive around 200,000 visitors each year.

Connor McKenzie Radio telescopes collect radio waves rather than visible light and while the Observatory at Warkworth is not open to the public, it still adds flavour to astro-tourism possibilities in the north.

Low light data from the VIIRS DNB Sensor on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite shows light pollution globally including for New Zealand.

Even with light from urban Auckland, including the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, much of Rodney - and particularly Pākiri and the Kaipara hills - are the best places in north Auckland for viewing the night sky, and could add to the northern attractions for locals and visitors.

The Pākiri cliffs are already an historic site for radio astronomy internationally, as combined readings from Pākiri and the Piha cliffs in 1948, pin-pointing radio waves were coming from the famous Crab Nebula and saw the birth of radio astronomy. The Piha site is on the Hillary Trail while the Pakiri cliff site is to be part of the planned Big Ōmaha Trail for walking/cycling between Pākiri and Matakana.

Delwyn Dickey Young rare black petrel are among birds that can become disorientated by artificial lighting.

But keeping the night free of light pollution is also conservation on a cosmic scale, protecting native wildlife from the effects of light pollution.

Artificial lighting at night can disrupt young petrel and shearwater as they depart their colonies, Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust project co-ordinator Chris Gaskin said.

There are two million Cooks petrels on Hauturu/Little Barrier alone, along with the rare black petrel and grey petrel, he said.

They regularly turn up on the ground at beachside communities from Mangawhai, Omaha and East Coast Bays where they are at risk from cats and dogs. He's seen them land on boats if deck lights are left on at night, with bright lights on cruise ships and cargo ships a particular concern.

Birds from islands close to central Auckland sometimes turn up on the waterfront and at least one storm petrel has been found beneath the Sky Tower.

Rare native bats also benefit from dark skies with less pressure from street lighting, Auckland Council senior biodiversity advisor and native bat expert Ben Paris said. Artificial lights can interfere with flight corridors of bats like lit bridges over rivers. They also disrupt moths which bats feed on.

Protecting night skies is also about preserving nature for future generations - the stars in Vincent Van Gogh's famous Starry Night painting are no longer visible from the spot it was painted, Davies said.

For this northern area it is important to do something now before Auckland gets too big, she said.