Practical Astronomy October - Astronomical Nomenclature
2023-10-16 20:00 - 21:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
We will be discussing the various Astronomical Catalogues commonly encountered by amateur astronomers and the IAU naming schemes for Astronomical Objects. Wel will start the talk with a short review of the sky this month.

Monthly Meeting November - Dark Skies Down Under – Australian astronomy in the 2020s
2023-11-13 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Dark Skies Down Under – Australian astronomy in the 2020s

Australia’s vantage point on the Universe gives its astronomers several advantages in the pursuit of their science. One of the most radio-quiet locations on the planet is within our shores, and optical (visible light) astronomers currently have access to world-leading facilities both at home and overseas. But a new generation of telescopes is now being built, and this fully illustrated talk explains Australia’s involvement in these exciting projects, and the kinds of discoveries that might follow.
Professor Fred Watson AM has been the Australian Government’s Astronomer-at-Large since 2018. He is a graduate of the universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh, and worked at both of Britain’s Royal Observatories before joining the Australian Astronomical Observatory as Astronomer-in-Charge in 1995. Recognised internationally for pioneering the use of fibre optics in astronomy during the 1980s, Fred is best known today for his radio and TV broadcasts, books, music, dark-sky advocacy and co-hosting the Space Nuts podcast. A unique claim to fame is that he is the only Australian astronomer to have received an APRA classical music award. Fred is an adjunct professor in several Australian universities, and was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2010 for service to astronomy. He has been a Questacon Mind-in-Residence since 2020, and, in 2022, received an honorary D.Sc. from Macquarie University. He also has an asteroid named after him (5691 Fredwatson), but says that if it hits the Earth, it won’t be his fault.
The meeting will be followed with supper.

Practical Astronomy November - Getting Started with Astrophotography
2023-11-20 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This month will be a basic introduction of the various types of astrophotography, the equipment used and associated issues. We will be discussing, telescopes, lenses, mounts, cameras and a brief introduction to some of the software used for acquiring and processing images.

Film Night November
2023-11-27 08:00 - 17:00
We are running two films tonight
We look forwards to seeing you there.

NASA’s Stunning Discoveries on Jupiter’s Largest Moons Our Solar System’s Moons
A deep dive into the four Galilean moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto

Voyager 1 Has Made “Impossible” Discovery after 45 Years in Space
Even after 45 years, this remarkable spacecraft along with Voyager 2, continues to provide scientists with updated insights about space.

Monthly Meeting December - The Peril and Profit of Near-Earth Objects
2023-12-11 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This Month we will be screening a recent Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture
Dr. Robert Jedicke (U of Hawaii)
Near-Earth objects present both an existential threat to human civilization and an extraordinary opportunity to help our exploration and expansion across the solar system. Dr. Jedicke explains that the risk of a sudden, civilization-altering collision with an asteroid or comet has markedly diminished in recent decades — due to diligent astronomical surveys — but a significant level of danger persists. At the same time, remarkable strides have been made in advancing technologies that pave the way for a new vision of space exploration – one that involves missions and outposts within the inner solar system fueled by resources extracted from near-Earth asteroids. These objects contain exploitable extraterrestrial resources delivered free to the inner solar system, and they have been naturally preprocessed into objects the ideal size for industrial operations.
Robert Jedicke obtained his Ph.D. in experimental particle physics from the University of Toronto and held post-doctoral positions at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and at the University of Arizona’s Lunar & Planetary Laboratory. At the University of Hawai`i’s Institute for Astronomy for the last 20 years, he managed the development of the Moving Object Processing System for the Pan-STARRS telescope on Maui.

The AAS has resumed holding supper after the monthly Society Meeting! Join us for snacks and beverages in the Stardome exhibit room following the lecture. It’s a great opportunity to connect with other Society members.

Practical Astronomy December -The Summer Night Sky
2023-12-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This month will be a planetarium session where we will review the constellations and deep sky objects of the Summer Night Sky.
This meeting will be the final AAS meeting of 2023. We will resume with Introduction to Astronomy on the first Monday of February 2024

Monthly Meeting February - 'Oumuamua: Our first interstellar visitor
2024-02-12 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
This month we will be screening a Gresham College video lecture presented by AAS Honorary Member Professor Chris Lintott.
In 2017, the Solar System was visited by an object named ‘Oumuamua, which came from another star system. The unusual properties of this first interstellar visitor led some to suggest it may be an alien spacecraft – but the truth is that its oddness is already teaching us lessons about how solar systems form. This lecture also considers the prospects of discovering more unusual objects in the Solar System and what we might do about asteroids that threaten the Earth. This lecture was recorded by Professor Chris Lintott on 24th January 2024 at Barnard’s Inn Hall, London. Chris is Gresham Professor of Astronomy. He is also a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford and a Research Fellow at New College. The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/o…
The video lecture will be followed by supper.

Astrophotography Group - Restart
2024-02-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
The Initial theme for 2024 will be Astrophotography without tracking.

Guided vs Unguided astrophotography
The modern CMOS Sensor – Hubble in your hand
What you will need – a Smartphone, and a mount of some sort

Settings – ISO and Exposure
Mounting in terms of tripod
Practicing in daylight

Youtube video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mdwldZNexc
The DSLR in 2024

Mount & Tripod
DSLR
Technique

Youtube video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtPNyk76Stg
Summary

Practical Astronomy February - Telescopes and Mounts
2024-02-19 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
To start the year for Practical Astronomy, we will be discussing the basics of telescopes and mounts. We will cover the common types of telescopes encountered by amateur astronomers and how they work. We will also discuss the basics of mounting systems for telescopes.

Film Night February
2024-02-26 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
We are running two films tonight
We look forwards to seeing you there.
Space Race to the Moon

The US space agency has announced the Artemis III mission to land four astronauts September 2026. What was involved in the first moon landing. We are playing part one of a two part documentary on the Moon-landing project conducted by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the 1960s and ’70s

The Deepest We Have Ever Seen Into the Sun

How viewing the Sun in ultraviolet can uncover its secrets, and much more. This short film has stunning images.

Monthly Meeting March - Island Universes: Discovering Galaxies Beyond the Milky Way
2024-03-11 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Continuing with this months theme of the scale of the Universe, Professor Chris Lintott presents a Greshan College video lecture.
Island Universes: Discovering Galaxies Beyond the Milky Way
The discovery that we live in an ordinary galaxy, one of several hundred billion in the observable Universe, instigated a profound change in thinking about our place in the Universe.
This lecture covers the Great Debate of the early twentieth century as new telescopes and new ways of observing the cosmos put our Milky Way in its place; and looks at how subsequent observations helped us understand how galaxies like our own formed and evolved.
This lecture was recorded by Professor Chris Lintott on 13 September 2023 at Barnard’s Inn Hall, London. Chris is Gresham Professor of Astronomy. He is also a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford, and a Research Fellow at New College.
The meeting will be followed by supper.

Astrophotography Group March - What we do in the Shadows
2024-03-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Tony Copper will present tonight’s astrophotography talk
How astrophotography differs from daytime photography
What makes a good astro photo
How photons behave in your lens and camera
What is noise and what is the biggest source of it
What is dynamic range and why is it important
Myths and facts – what things people get wrong
What ISO and exposures to use
What about f-ratio

Practical Astronomy March - The Autumn Night Sky
2024-03-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This month will be a planetarium session where we will review the constellations and deep sky objects of the Autumn Night Sky.

Monthly Meeting April - The Images That Will Change Your View of Our Moon Forever
2024-04-08 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a NASA robotic spacecraft currently orbiting the Moon in an eccentric polar mapping orbit. Data collected by LRO have been described as essential for planning NASA’s future human and robotic missions to the Moon. Its detailed mapping program is identifying safe landing sites, locating potential resources on the Moon, characterizing the radiation environment, and demonstrating new technologies. This film gives an overview of many of the remarkable findings of the mission.
Explore the Moon yourself: https://quickmap.lroc.asu.edu
The meeting will be followed by supper.

Astrophotography Group April
2024-04-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
What we do in the Shadows – Part 2
This talk starts by reviewing what we talked about in Part 1:
1 What makes a good astrophoto – SNR
2 Signal (the photon funnel)
3 Noise (the square root of the signal)
4a, b Myths (f-ratio and ISO / Gain)
In Part 2 we will talk about:
4c Dynamic Range (the relationship to SNR)
5 Subexposure
6 Fun With Mathematics

Practical Astronomy April - Visual Observing
2024-04-15 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
In the this talk we will discuss tips and techniques for visual observing with a telescope.

Film Night April - Exploring our Mind-Blowing Universe | BBC Earth Science
2024-04-22 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
We are running one full length film tonight
We look forwards to seeing you there.
Exploring our Mind-Blowing Universe | BBC Earth Science

Embark on a fascinating journey through the wonders of our universe in this mind-expanding exploration of celestial marvels and cosmic mysteries.

Introduction to Astronomy May 2024
2024-05-06 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
Establishing a US Moon Base: Timing and Challenges
NASA has set the goal of returning to the Moon, but this time for good to mine precious resources and set up a lunar base for a sustainable long-term human presence by 2030. Chris Benton will discuss why and where on the Moon NASA intends to explore, how they intend to do it, and the challenges to be faced and overcome within the incredible timeline for its Artemis Programme. Come along and hear whether this is achievable and what options NASA has.

Monthly Meeting May - The Marvels of the Solar System
2024-05-13 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Our exploration of the Solar System has revealed a remarkable diversity of landscapes, from the frozen deserts of Mars, which billions of years ago ran with water, to the hellish surface of Venus and the strange hydrocarbon seas of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. In our voyages to these places we have discovered what may be the most common home for life in the Universe – the ice-covered oceans found in many of Jupiter and Saturn’s moons.
This lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on 25 October 2023 at Barnard’s Inn Hall, London
Chris is Gresham Professor of Astronomy.
He is also a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford, and a Research Fellow at New College.

Astrophotography Group May - Photographing Aurorae
2024-05-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Budget Astrophotography Series – Faint Ephemerae

Photography of Aurorae, Meteor Radiants, Comets
Best long-exposure Cellphone applications
Introduction to Barndoor Trackers

Practical Astronomy - Telescope maintenance.
2024-05-20 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
AAS Curator of instruments Steve Hennerley will be explaining the do’s and don’ts of telescope maintenance, including topics such as cleaning of the optics and collimation. This will be an interactive session so please bring your questions, or raise any specific problems you are having in this area.

Film Night May
2024-05-27 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
We are running two films tonight
We look forwards to seeing you there.
Exoplanets and Antarctica “Searching for exoplanets from Antarctica.” | BBC: The Sky at Night

The Sky at Night team report on the new scientific methods being used to detect exoplanets and how the winter darkness of Antarctica is critical to their success.
In our quest to find planets that aren’t too up close and personal with their parent stars, we must inevitably search for signals that are both long in duration and infrequent in occurrence. Our own Earth as viewed in transit by (probably) clever alien astronomers would cast a roughly eight hour-long shadows on the Sun, only once every 365 days. Signals like this need long, uninterrupted and clear nights, with very stable conditions. ASTEP enjoys all of these, simply by virtue of its location.

The Closest Planet Outside Our Solar System Is Almost Within Reach | Proxima Centauri

Since its discovery over 100 years ago, it has captivated astronomers the world over. As if the paradoxes of this star weren’t alluring enough, scientists have recently discovered a seemingly Earth-like exoplanet in its orbit, opening conversations about interstellar colonisation.
It lies so despairingly close, yet would take generations to reach. Newer techniques like solar sails or nuclear propulsion might make such a trip possible within a human lifetime.

Monthly Meeting June - Is it Aliens? The Most Unusual Star in the Galaxy
2024-06-10 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Boyajian’s star, a faint and unprepossessing presence in the constellation of Cygnus, attracted astronomers’ attention when it began to flicker alarmingly.
We will discuss explanations for its behaviour, from disintegrating comets to alien megastructures, and consider how modern astronomy hunts for the truly unusual objects in the Universe. For this task, the involvement of large numbers of volunteers – citizen scientists – is essential, for example via the Zooniverse platform, which invites you to participate in classifying galaxies and discovering planets.
This lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on 29th April 2024 at Conway Hall, London
Chris is Gresham Professor of Astronomy. He is also a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford, and a Research Fellow at New College.

Astrophotography Group June
2024-06-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
TBA

Practical Astronomy June - The Winter Night Sky
2024-06-17 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This month will be one of our seasonal planetarium sessions where we will review the constellations of the winter night sky and the deep sky objects found within them.

Film Night June
2024-06-24 20:00 - 21:15 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
We are running two films tonight
We look forwards to seeing you there.
Why Venera Went Silent on Venus | Astrum

What caused Venera Space Ship to fail so quickly after a successful landing on Venus. This documentary explains why and shows the only images of Venus ever to be captured from it’s surface.

Uncovering the Secrets of the International Space Station (Full Episode) | Superstructures

What makes up the ISS. How did we fly it all up into orbit. Did you know the ISS has emergency escape pods ready to un-dock at a moments notice, to drop towards Earth, and that the Astronauts have had to occupy these during recent potential catastrophic events. These subjects and more will be covered is this documentary.

Monthly Meeting July - The Pillars of Modern Cosmology: Theory and Observations
2024-07-08 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
This month’s speaker will be Professor Sergei Gulyaev.
Monthly Meeting July – The Pillars of Modern Cosmology: Theory and Observations
As we celebrate the centennial anniversary of Friedmann-Lemaitre-Hubble’s revelation that our universe is expanding, we will revisit pivotal moments and milestones in the history of cosmology. From the groundbreaking theory of general relativity to the observations of distant galaxies and the cosmic microwave background, this lecture will delve into the key discoveries that have shaped our understanding of the universe. Not only we will highlight the significant achievements of the past century but also look ahead to the exciting prospects and unanswered questions that continue to inspire astronomers and physicists today.
Professor Sergei Gulyaev, DirectorCentre for Radio Astronomy and Space Research,
School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences,
Auckland University of Technology,
Auckland, New Zealand

Astrophotography Group July - Image Stacking
2024-07-15 19:00 - 20:00
This month Eric Chiu will do a presentation on astro image stacking using freely available software for planetary and deep sky photography.

Practical Astronomy July - Sky Charting Software
2024-07-15 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
The topic for this month will be Sky Charting Software.
Sky Charting software can be used for planning your observing sessions, previewing Sky Events and even telescope and dome control control. They are also a great educational resource for learning and gaining understanding of some of the jargon used in astronomy. We will use the Open Source desktop application Stellarium to investigate some of these features and also demonstrate the use of a mobile device using the Sky Safari app.

Film Night July
2024-07-22 20:00 - 21:30 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
We are running two films tonight on our Solar System
We look forwards to seeing you there.

A Deep Dive Into The Mysteries Of Mars | Astrum – 4K

A refresh of the Astrum ‘Our Solar System’ series, updated to reflect all we’ve learned about our planetary neighbourhood in the last few years

Eight Wonders Of Our Solar System | The Planets | BBC Earth Science

Discover the most memorable events in the history of our solar system. Travel to the surface of these dynamic worlds to witness the moments of high drama that uniquely shaped each one.
