This week, the Otago Museum and the Dodd-Walls Centre will be giving away not two, but three pairs of tickets the chance to jump aboard a specially chartered Boeing 787 Dreamliner, joining 146 others on a flight into the auroral zone near Antarctica.
The competition was originally for two pairs of seats, however the amount of interest in the competition has seen the Dodd-Walls Centre increase their sponsorship and support of the event.
Tickets are valued at $2,000 a pair, and those that are lucky enough to win the competition will share a window seat view of this amazing natural phenomenon.
Scheduled to depart from Christchurch Airport at 7pm on Thursday 22 March, this exclusive flight will travel for approximately 10 hours. Not only will those on board see great views of the aurora and learn about the science behind them, they’ll also learn how best to photograph them from an on board team of experts.
“I am really excited about the second flight to the lights, and I am really looking forward to sharing what I hope will be a memorable experience with the lucky winners of this competition” says Dr Ian Griffin, Director of the Otago Museum.
The Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies is one of New Zealand’s Centres of Research Excellence, also known as CoREs. Their research focuses on the understanding and manipulation of light and matter at the most fundamental quantum level. They are also committed to science outreach and encouraging more Kiwis to appreciate and engage in science, which is a driving factor in the Centre sponsoring the tickets up for grabs.
Professor David Hutchinson, Director of the Dodd-Walls Centre, says "we are delighted to be able to support the second Flight to the Lights and enable six members of the public, as well as several students from the Centre, the opportunity to share in viewing this amazing phenomenon. This forms part of our ongoing and successful partnership with the Otago Museum."
The competition was due to close on Wednesday afternoon, however with the extra prize it has now been extended until Friday, allowing an additional 48 hours to enter.
Entries now close at 4pm on Friday 16 March. The three winners will be drawn at random within the hour. They will be announced on the Otago Museum’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages, which is also where you will find the competition link.
Those that are successful will need to get themselves, and their chosen other, to Christchurch in time for the 5pm check-in on Thursday 22 March, and back home after the flight lands at around 5am the following morning.