Tekapo
Urban Area
Population:
Extent:
Territorial Authority
Name:	Mackenzie District Council
Population:
Mayor:
Website:	Mackenzie District Council
Extent:
Regional council
Name:	Environment Canterbury

Lake Tekapo is a village located at the southern end of the lake of the same name

Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo is the second-largest of three roughly parallel lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand...

 in the inland South Island

South Island

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. The lake is a popular tourist destination, and several resort hotels are located at the township. The lake's outflow into the Tekapo River

Tekapo River

The Tekapo River flows occasionally through the Mackenzie Basin, Canterbury, in New Zealand's South Island, although the riverbed is now often dry in the upper reaches it maintains a constant flow below the confluence of several tributaries notably the Merryburn, Forks, and Greys streams...

 is close to the village. The lake is at the upper end of the Waitaki hydroelectric scheme, and as such, several dams and artificial canals are found near its outflow, linking it with Lake Pukaki.

Selected for its very clear atmosphere, large number of clear sky nights, and lack of light pollution

Light pollution

Light pollution, also known as photopollution or luminous pollution, is excessive or obtrusive artificial light.The International Dark-Sky Association defines light pollution as:...

, Mount John University Observatory

Mount John University Observatory

Mount John University Observatory , is New Zealand's premier astronomical research observatory. It is situated at ASL atop Mount John at the northern end of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island, and was established in 1965...

 is located on a small hill to the north of the town, and south of the small Lake Alexandrina

Lake Alexandrina, New Zealand

Lake Alexandrina is a lake located in the Mackenzie Basin of New Zealand's South Island. It lies immediately to the west of the much larger Lake Tekapo and further to the east of Lake Pukaki, located to the north of Lake Tekapo township...

. Originally set up by the University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...

 (looking for a southern hemisphere location), it is now operated by the University of Canterbury

University of Canterbury

The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...

. From 1969 to 1982, the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 had a satellite

Satellite

In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....

 tracking station adjacent to the observatory.

The NZ Army has a large training range located at Tekapo. It is used for general military exercises and for pre-deployment training of forces being sent to Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

.