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DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251020T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251020T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20250920T230650Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251010T121619Z
UID:2900-1760990400-1760994000@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy October - Names and Catalogues
DESCRIPTION:This month we will be discussing the naming conventions for Celestial objects.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practcal-astronomy-october-names-and-catalogues/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Practical Astronomy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251027T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251027T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20250921T013024Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250921T013024Z
UID:2904-1761595200-1761598800@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Film Night October -  The Planets - 25 Years Later : Star
DESCRIPTION:The Planets – 25 Years Later : Star\n \nThe sun is literally the centre of the Solar System – indeed\, it takes its name from the Roman personification of the Sun as deity\, in Latin.\nFor most of humanity’s time on the Earth\, the sun has often been seen as the epitome of perfection of form\, and agreed upon as the source of all light\, warmth and energy – which it is.\nBut how does the sun relate to the Planets ? Starting with Galileo Galilei\, we learned that the sun is not perfect – there are sunspots. \nFather Giovanni Secchi at the Vatican observatory proved spectroscopically that the Sun is a star. \nWith time\, we have come to know that the planets formed together with the sun – and the observed development of the planetary systems of other stars has confirmed this more and more as time goes by.\nThe influence of the sun is very great – even at the poles in complete darkness\, the Solar Wind paints Aurorae on the skies above. Eugene Parker computed that there would be a supersonic solar wind – and exploration of\nMercury in the space age proved him to have been conservative – the sun is even more violent. The Skylab mission\, and Voyager 2 have both expanded our conception of the limits of the Sun and\nthe Solar System in turn.\n \nSince 1999\, the Sun continues to fuel science and exploration :\n\n\nOrbiting Observatories of the Sun – SOHO\, Ulysses – and the mapping of the Corona\, as well as the and discovery of new comets.\nThe Parker solar probe – in flight since 2018\, doing Coronal dives\nThe Solar Space Fleet – STEREO\, Parker\, PUNCH\, Hinode\nAurorae of the Gas Giants\nImaging the stars – The spots of Betelguese and other stars\nExoplanets and their aurorae visible from light years away\nThe Star Upon the Earth – controlled fusion reactors of the future.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/film-night-october-the-planets-25-years-later-star/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Film Night
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251103T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251103T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20251020T003359Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251020T004546Z
UID:2924-1762200000-1762203600@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Monthly Meeting November - Strange Nature of Time across the Universe - how does time work in Einstein’s cosmos
DESCRIPTION:Strange Nature of Time across the Universe – how does time work in Einstein’s cosmos \nTime. We never seem to have enough of it. Clocks tick reliably\, one second at a time\, as deadlines loom. Yet in our modern understanding of the universe\, time loses its rigidity and reveals a more fluid nature. In this talk\, we’ll explore the nature of time across the cosmos and examine the experiments that show how time once ran slower\, much\, much slower\, when the universe was young. But what does this relative nature of time truly mean? Could it offer a way to gain more time to meet our deadlines? And what does it imply for one of the greatest mysteries in physics: is it possible to break the barrier and actually travel through time? \nGeraint F. Lewis was born in Old South Wales and studied astrophysics at the University of London before earning his PhD from Cambridge in 1995. After research positions in the US and Canada\, he moved to Australia in 2000\, where he is now Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Sydney. His research spans the influence of dark energy and dark matter on cosmic evolution\, the use of gravitational lensing to probe the nature of quasars and the distribution of dark matter\, and the dynamics of galactic cannibalism in the Local Group. Geraint is also a passionate science communicator\, with several books and numerous public talks exploring the deep questions of cosmology\, physics and the meaning of reality.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/monthly-meeting-november-2/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Monthly Meeting
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251110T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251110T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20251017T024724Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251017T024724Z
UID:2921-1762804800-1762808400@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Introduction to Astronomy November 2025
DESCRIPTION:The Depth of The Night Sky (An Introduction) \nby guest speaker: Jonathan Park \nWhen we look up at the night sky\, it’s easy to imagine that all the stars are placed on a great celestial dome above us. But we know that they lie at vastly different distances\, scattered across space\, some near and others hundreds of light-years away. In this talk\, we’ll look at some familiar groups of stars\, using graphics to travel away from Earth to view them from different directions. This will help you to get a feel for these distances. While on the topic of how far away these stars are\, here’s an interesting fact: the speed of light is exactly 299\,792\,458 metres per second (no additional decimal places\, no uncertainty)\, and this means we can now define a light-year to 100% precision! You’ll find out how this works tonight. We will also learn a little about some of these stars – are any binary\, triple\, or more? How big and hot are they? Do some of them have planets? One is a fascinating system of at least five stars orbiting each other in a very complex pattern. \nThis talk includes a selection of familiar stars visible to the naked eye\, and is suitable for all ages and levels of astronomy knowledge. It may even change how you think about the stars you see at night.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/introduction-to-astronomy-november-2025/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory\, 670 Manukau Rd\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345\, New Zealand
CATEGORIES:Introduction To Astronomy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251117T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251117T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20251115T221915Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T221915Z
UID:2944-1763409600-1763413200@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy November - Telescopes
DESCRIPTION:In this talk\, AAS curator of instruments\, Steve Hennerley will explain the various types of telescopes\, how they were developed and how to use them.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-november-telescopes/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Practical Astronomy
ORGANIZER;CN="Steve Hennerley":MAILTO:steve.hennerley@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251124T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251124T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20251122T205403Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251122T221820Z
UID:2958-1764014400-1764018000@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Film Night November 2025
DESCRIPTION:The Planets 25 Years Later : Atmosphere\nThe atmosphere of the Earth transforms our planet into our world. The great cycles of the gases of the air and water allow us to understand that home.\nTo understand the planets\, we need to understand their atmospheres. We start with the venture of the late Col. Joe Kittinger\, who travelled to space without needing a rocket\, under an ultra-high atmosphere balloon.\nMikhail Lomonosov discovered the atmosphere of Venus during a rare transit. Soviet exploration of Venus needed to pressure-cook the Venera planetary probes\, making them tougher than battle-tanks\, so as to survive landing\, and take the first photos on its overpowering atmospheric conditions\, and the unending lighting of the ‘Veneran Electric Dragon’\nDave Grinspoon (who writes for Sky & Telescope every once in a while\, and got asteroid 22410 named after him recently) introduces us to the nature of the atmospheres of other planets\, moving through Venus\,\nto Mars. Andy Ingersoll discusses the Ecosphere of a star\, and then turns to the Gas Giants. Dr. Alvin Seiff has in turn designed Galileo’s atmospheric probe of Jupiter’s clouds.\nSaturn is next\, with the coming exploration by Cassini\, and the moon Titan\, the only moon in our Solar System with its own thick atmosphere.\n \nSince 1999\, there have been many developments in understanding the atmospheres of the planets and moons of our Solar Systems\, and the exoplanets beyond:\n\n\nHuygens has landed on Titan\, and the atmospheric conditions are now well described.\nWe know a lot more about the great cycles of Venus’ atmosphere\nWe have been able to confirm the comet-like tails of planets like Venus\, where the atmosphere is being stripped away by solar winds.\nWith the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope\, it is now possible to sample those ‘tails’ by IR Spectroscopy\, and measure their content.\nIn some cases\, we can even detect if those atmospheres contain bio-markers for those present in the Ecosphere of their parent stars.\n\n————–
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/film-night-november-2025/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Film Night
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251208T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251208T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20251202T200758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251202T200758Z
UID:2972-1765224000-1765227600@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Monthly Meeting December - The Modern Epicycles of Cosmology
DESCRIPTION:Cosmology is in crisis. We know very little about dark energy and dark matter\, two things that cosmologists believe\nare fundamental to the Universe and integral to the standard model of cosmology. With each new set of high-\nprecision observation\, disagreements between data and the standard model grow. This year experiments like the\nDESI survey have cast doubt on the nature of dark energy and how the Universe changed over time. Now the lead-\ning suggestions are that the strength of dark energy changes with time\, adding yet more mystery to the phenome-\nna. While these new models fit the data\, are they true\, or are they adding more complexity to a flawed concept? In\nthis talk we will explore the current landscape of cosmology and question the foundational assumptions of modern\ncosmology. \nDr Ryan Ridden is a Rutherford Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Canterbury. His research is fo-\ncused in the time domain of astronomy and covers a wide range of topics including supernovae\, solar system ob-\njects\, exoplanets\, active galaxies\, and cosmology. Ryan is leading the international Cosmic Cataclysms Collabora-\ntion\, using space telescope data to search for the fastest explosions and variable objects in the Universe. Earlier this\nyear Ryan was part of a collaboration which used supernova data to test models of the Universe that did not use\ndark energy. Alongside research\, Ryan has engaged in public outreach and education\, frequently giving public lec-\ntures and mentoring future scientists.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/monthly-meeting-december-the-modern-epicycles-of-cosmology/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Monthly Meeting
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251215T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20251215T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20251129T205116Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T205241Z
UID:2966-1765828800-1765832400@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy December - The Summer Night Sky
DESCRIPTION:This will be one of our seasonal Planetarium sessions. We will use the Planetarium to explore the Summer Night Sky. This is a great way to improve your knowledge of the Summer constellations and learn about some of the deep sky objects to be found in them.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-december-the-summer-night-sky-3/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Practical Astronomy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260202T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260202T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20260125T042434Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260125T042434Z
UID:2996-1770062400-1770066000@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy February - an Introduction to Astrophotography
DESCRIPTION:This talk will cover the basics of Astrophotography including\, composition\, equipment and processing. \nNote the date swap with the February Introduction to Astronomy talk \n 
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-february-an-introduction-to-astrophotography/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Practical Astronomy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260209T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260209T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20260128T221746Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T221746Z
UID:2998-1770667200-1770667200@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Monthy Meeting February - From Mars with Love: Postcards from 50 Years of Exploring The Red Planet
DESCRIPTION:  \nThis meeting will be screening a Gresham College Lecture with Professor Chris Lintott \nDuring the fifty years since the launch of the Viking spacecraft to Mars\, our view of the red planet has changed from hostile desert to a world which was once covered in water\, and which may just possibly sustain life. Lavishly illustrated with the latest images from the fleet of spacecraft that have explored our neighbour\, this lecture considers how Mars’ fate\, like that of Earth\, was set in the Solar System’s first billion years\, and the chaotic environment the process of planet formation produced. \n This lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on the 3rd of December 2025 at Conway Hall\, London. \n Professor Chris Lintott is a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford\, and a Research Fellow at New College. Having been educated at Magdalene College\, Cambridge and University College London\, his research now ranges from understanding how galaxies form and evolve\, to using machine learning to find the most unusual things in the Universe\, to predicting the properties of visiting interstellar asteroids. He was the founder of the Zooniverse citizen science platform\, which provides opportunities for more than two million online volunteers to contribute to scientific research\, and which was the topic of his first book\, ‘The Crowd and the Cosmos’. His latest book is ‘Our Accidental Universe’. Professor Lintott is best known for presenting the BBC’s long-running Sky at Night program\, and as an accomplished lecturer. Away from work\, he cooks\, suffers through being a fan of Torquay United and Somerset cricket\, and spends time with a rescued lurcher\, Mr Max. 
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/monthy-meeting-february-from-mars-with-love-postcards-from-50-years-of-exploring-the-red-planet/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Monthly Meeting
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260309T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260309T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20260307T231107Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T231107Z
UID:3076-1773086400-1773090000@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Monthly Meeting March 2026 - How can AI help us find exploding stars and Hungry Black Holes?
DESCRIPTION:Dr Heloise Stevance \nModern sky surveys can image the entire sky every night. In doing so\, they discover new cosmic explosions – from stars collapsing to stars being devoured by black holes. But the sky is vast and the alerts are many – far too many for humans to keep up with. When the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) begins in 2026\, millions of nightly discoveries will flood astronomers. Partnering with experts in sky surveys and applied machine learning\, I am developing a Virtual Research Assistant that harnesses A.I. to help experts find the cosmic explosions that made the space dust we come from. \nDr Stevance is a Schmidt AI in Science Fellow at the University of Oxford working with international sky surveys (ATLAS\, Vera Rubin) to find extragalactic transients (supernovae\, tidal disruption events). She works at the interface between Astronomy and AI\, developing “Virtual Research Assistants” to help astronomers find the needles in the cosmic hay stacks. She is an award winning science communicator and early career astrophysicist (Beatrice Tinsley Lecture Prize 2021\, Caroline Hearschel Prize 2024)\, and her talk will be an updated version of her Caroline Herschel Prize Lecture. 
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/monthly-meeting-march-2026-how-can-ai-help-us-find-exploding-stars-and-hungry-black-holes/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Monthly Meeting
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260316T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260316T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20260227T231442Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260227T231442Z
UID:3061-1773691200-1773694800@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy March - The Autumn Night Sky
DESCRIPTION:This will be one of our seasonal Planetarium sessions. We will use the Planetarium to explore the Autumn Night Sky. This is a great way to improve your knowledge of the Autumn constellations and learn about some of the deep sky objects to be found in them.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-march-the-autumn-night-sky-4/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Practical Astronomy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260413T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260413T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20260411T213615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260411T213615Z
UID:3095-1776110400-1776114000@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Monthly Meeting April - Little Red Dots
DESCRIPTION:100 years ago this year\, Edwin Hubble published the first conclusive evidence that there were galaxies beyond the Milky Way. This lecture\, using new results from our latest space telescopes and ground-based instruments\, surveys the diversity of systems that we’ve found since\, from giant and beautiful spirals to mysterious Little Red Dots. \nThis lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on 18th March 2026 at Conway Hall\, London. \nProfessor Chris Lintott is a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford\, and a Research Fellow at New College. \nHaving been educated at Magdalene College\, Cambridge and University College London\, his research now ranges from understanding how galaxies form and evolve\, to using machine learning to find the most unusual things in the Universe\, to predicting the properties of visiting interstellar asteroids. He was the founder of the Zooniverse citizen science platform\, which provides opportunities for more than two million online volunteers to contribute to scientific research\, and which was the topic of his first book\, ‘The Crowd and the Cosmos’. His latest book is ‘Our Accidental Universe’. \nProfessor Lintott is best known for presenting the BBC’s long-running Sky at Night program\, and as an accomplished lecturer. Away from work\, he cooks\, suffers through being a fan of Torquay United and Somerset cricket\, and spends time with a rescued lurcher\, Mr Max. He can often be found at the helm of Oxford’s science comedy night\, ‘Huh\, That’s Funny’.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/monthly-meeting-april-little-red-dots/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Monthly Meeting
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260420T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260420T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T161914
CREATED:20260418T225311Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260418T225311Z
UID:3102-1776715200-1776718800@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy April - Variable Stars
DESCRIPTION:Observation of variable stars has a long history with amateur astronomy. We will discuss the types of variable stars and how to observe them to obtain scientifically useful data. This is still a valuable activity even with the large survey telescopes\, as amateurs can obtain data for stars that are too bright for the large telescopes\, or for certain types of variable stars where changes are happening rapidly\, the survey scopes cannot be dedicated for short cadence observing of a single star.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-april-variable-stars/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Practical Astronomy
END:VEVENT
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