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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Auckland Astronomical Society Inc
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DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260615T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260615T210000
DTSTAMP:20260516T221736Z
CREATED:20260516T221736Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260516T221736Z
UID:3121-1781553600-1781557200@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy June - The Winter Night Sky
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-june-the-winter-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:20260622T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260622T210000
DTSTAMP:20260622T010133Z
CREATED:20260605T232109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260622T010133Z
UID:3135-1782158400-1782162000@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Film Night June - The Cosmos - 45 years later.
DESCRIPTION:One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue\nSubject: Evolution by natural selection; Heike crab story; origin of life; DNA and the unity of life. 45 Years Later: \n\nGenomic sequencing revolution (Human Genome Project 2003; thousands of species sequenced); horizontal gene transfer and RNA world hypothesis strengthened.\nLaboratory synthesis of self-replicating RNA and protocells; complex organics detected on comets (Rosetta) and asteroids (Ryugu samples).\nJWST detecting prebiotic molecules in protoplanetary disks.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/film-night-june-the-cosmos-45-years-later/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Film Night
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260713T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260713T210000
DTSTAMP:20260711T224959Z
CREATED:20260711T224959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260711T224959Z
UID:3156-1783972800-1783976400@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Monthly Meeting July - Pluto Isn’t a Planet
DESCRIPTION:In 2006\, the International Astronomical Union adopted a definition of a planet that demoted Pluto to just one of what is likely hundreds of dwarf planets in our Solar System. Exploring the remote Kuiper Belt\, this lecture challenges us to think about what kinds of scientific questions are worth our attention\, what it means to name something – and why Pluto is worth caring about anyway. \nThis lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on the 3rd of June 2026 \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-july-pluto-isnt-a-planet/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Monthly Meeting
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260720T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260720T210000
DTSTAMP:20260718T112328Z
CREATED:20260718T112328Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260718T112328Z
UID:3158-1784577600-1784581200@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy July - Equatorial Mounts: Why We Use Them and How They Work
DESCRIPTION:Why does a telescope need an equatorial mount\, and what makes it different from simpler fixed or altitude–azimuth designs? This beginner-friendly talk starts with the basic problem of following objects across the night sky\, then uses practical examples and simulations to explain tracking\, field rotation and the deceptively simple idea behind an equatorial mount. \nCurator of Instruments\, Steve Hennerley\, follows the development of telescope mounts from early transit instruments and seventeenth-century helioscopes through to modern computer-controlled equipment. He then moves into the practicalities of setting up an equatorial mount in the Southern Hemisphere\, including finding true south\, levelling the mount\, polar scopes\, drift alignment and electronic polar-alignment tools. \nNo previous knowledge is assumed\, making this an accessible introduction for visual observers and anyone beginning to explore astrophotography.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-july-equatorial-mounts-why-we-use-them-and-how-they-work/
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:20260727T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260727T210000
DTSTAMP:20260725T094232Z
CREATED:20260725T094232Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260725T094232Z
UID:3167-1785182400-1785186000@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Film Night July - Harmony of the Worlds
DESCRIPTION:We continue our revisiting of The Cosmos Series. \n  \nEpisode 3: \nSubject: History of astronomy from astrology to Kepler’s laws; Ptolemy\, Copernicus\, Brahe\, Galileo; scientific method triumph. 45 Years Later: \nKepler Space Telescope (2009–2018) discovered thousands of exoplanets using transit method\, validating Kepler’s laws on a galactic scale.\nGaia mission (2013–) mapped precise positions and motions of >1 billion stars\, refining galactic structure.\nGeneral relativity tests passed with ever-higher precision (e.g.\, gravitational waves\, LIGO 2015).
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/film-night-july-harmony-of-the-worlds/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Film Night
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260810T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260810T210000
DTSTAMP:20260809T010339Z
CREATED:20260809T010339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T010339Z
UID:3172-1786392000-1786395600@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Monthly Meeting August - Shining a Light on Dark Matter
DESCRIPTION:Carnegie Science Observatories postdoc Andrew Robertson focuses on one of the key mysteries in contemporary astronomy: the nature of dark matter. We know that this mysterious form of matter makes up about 85 percent of the mass in the universe\, but astronomers still don’t know exactly what it is. Drawing on his experience as a former postdoc at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory\, Robertson will explain how astronomers came to believe that dark matter exists\, and how some gargantuan collisions of galaxy clusters—particularly the famous “Bullet Cluster”—provide some of the strongest supporting evidence for its existence. He’ll demonstrate how these extreme cosmic collisions can be used to probe the fundamental properties of dark matter itself. Dr. Andrew Robertson – Postdoctoral Fellow\, Carnegie Science Observatories. \nThis is a rebroadcast of a Carnegie Science Lecture \n 
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/monthly-meeting-august-shining-a-light-on-dark-matter/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Monthly Meeting
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260817T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260817T210000
DTSTAMP:20260809T013717Z
CREATED:20260809T013717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T013717Z
UID:3174-1786996800-1787000400@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy August - An overview of Astronomy software for Amateurs.
DESCRIPTION:This month will be an overview of Astronomy software for amateurs\, particularly Sky Charting software for desktop and mobile.  We will also cover some available options for telescope mount control\, image capture and processing.  
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-august-an-overview-of-astronomy-software-for-amateurs/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Practical Astronomy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260824T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260824T210000
DTSTAMP:20260809T014342Z
CREATED:20260809T014342Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T014342Z
UID:3179-1787601600-1787605200@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Film Night August - The Cosmos revisited 45 Years later - Heaven and Hell
DESCRIPTION:Episode 4: Heaven and Hell\nSubject: Comets\, asteroids\, and impacts (Tunguska\, Venus greenhouse); planetary evolution and catastrophes. 45 Years Later: \n\nChicxulub crater confirmed as dinosaur extinction cause (1980s–1990s); multiple impact threats mapped (NEOWISE\, etc.).\nVenus: confirmed runaway greenhouse; no life but extreme lessons for Earth climate.\nJupiter’s Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact (1994) observed live; DART mission (2022) demonstrated asteroid deflection technology.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/film-night-august-the-cosmos-revisited-45-years-later-heaven-and-hell/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Film Night
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260921T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260921T210000
DTSTAMP:20260809T013948Z
CREATED:20260809T013938Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T013948Z
UID:3176-1790020800-1790024400@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Practical Astronomy September - The Spring Night Sky
DESCRIPTION:This will be one of our seasonal Planetarium sessions. We will use the Planetarium to explore the Spring Night Sky. This is a great way to improve your knowledge of the Spring constellations and learn about some of the deep sky objects to be found in them.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/practical-astronomy-september-the-spring-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:20260928T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260928T210000
DTSTAMP:20260809T014613Z
CREATED:20260809T014613Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T014613Z
UID:3181-1790625600-1790629200@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Film Night September - The Cosmos 45 Years Later - Blues for a Red Planet
DESCRIPTION:Episode 5: Blues for a Red Planet\nSubject: Mars exploration history; Percival Lowell’s canals; Viking missions (1976) and search for life. 45 Years Later: \n\nRovers (Sojourner 1997 → Perseverance 2021): ancient river/lake beds\, organic molecules\, “leopard spot” biosignature candidate (2024).\nPerseverance caching samples for return (2030s); evidence of past habitability strengthened dramatically.\nMethane detections and subsurface ice; potential for past microbial life now a major focus.
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/film-night-september-the-cosmos-45-years-later-blues-for-a-red-planet/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:AAS Meetings,Film Night
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