Auckland Astronomical Society Inc

Monthly Meeting August - Celestial Songs: A Cosmic Spacetime Symphony
2025-08-11 20:00 - 21:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
The Universe sings an intricate melody composed of gravitational waves, the cosmic echoes of cataclys-
mic events. Yet it’s only in recent years that we have begun to listen to this space-time symphony. In this
talk, we’ll embark on a journey through the revolutionary advancements in gravitational wave astronomy.
First, we’ll trace our understanding of the subject from the conceptualisation of cosmic ripples in 1916
through to the Nobel Prize-winning gravitational wave discovery of the merger of two black holes. We’ll
then discuss Aotearoa’s contributions to this work. Join us as we uncover the cosmic symphony, tracing
our evolution from theory to discovery in our quest to understand the Universe’s celestial songs.
Dr Avi Vajpeyi is a research fellow working at the University of Auckland and a member of the scientific
collaborations Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Laser Interferometer
Space Antenna (LISA). His work involves “listening” to gravitational waves emitted from black holes collid-
ing with each other.

Practical Astronomy August - Names and Catalogues.
2025-08-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Names and Catalogues
Ever wondered about the designations Astronomical Objects such as M 22, NGC 104, HD 207098, or the names given to comets and asteroids. In this talk we will be discussing the IAU naming conventions for celestial objects along with the star and deep sky catalogues commonly encountered by amateur astronomers.

Film Night August 2025 - The Planets , 25 years later : Giants
2025-08-25 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
The gas-giant planets of our Solar System have been the subject of interest and study for millennia. Their light and brightness gave them titles from that of Ancient Roman gods. When Galileo Galilei turned his telescope to Jupiter, he was able to prove that not everything revolves around the sun, and so started the development of Astronomy as one of the cornerstones of science and knowledge. After learning to fly, we started to explore the Solar System soon thereafter. The best ships we had could get us to Jupiter, and it was supreme good fortune that the Grand Opportunity arrived in the 1970’s to allow Pioneer 10 & 11, and then Voyager 1 and 2 to visit the giant planets, and their moons, for the first time.
Since then, humanity has returned to the Giants, and there are more plans to do so. Observations from the earth, and earth orbit, continue to reveal new things about the giants, both in this solar system, and beyond.
Understanding why we are here : Jupiter, the asteroid belt, and gravitational sweeping.
Returning to the Giants : Juno, and more to come.
Jupiter and Saturn’s growing retinue of moons (there are hundreds now !)
The Vera C. Rubin observatory and the Giants – more moons are likely.
Looking for life – exploration of Europa and Titan
The outer worlds – the Jupiter-class gas giants orbiting other stars – the Space Oddities.

Introduction to Astronomy September 2025
2025-09-01 20:00 - 21:30 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Exploring the Moon
What we learned from the Apollo Programme

Exploring the Moon
What we learned from the Apollo Programme
Whether you attended the two previous talks on the Apollo Moon landings or not, this presentation is for you. In this special, extended discussion, Chris Benton expands on the topic, reviewing in depth the Apollo experiments conducted from both lunar orbit and the surface, as well as the types of rocks from different regions of the Moon returned by the twelve moonwalkers. Come along and learn how scientists correlated the invaluable data to determine a timeline detailing the Moon’s origin and evolution to how we see it today, including why the near and far sides differ in appearance and geology.

The Apollo Programme transformed our knowledge of the Moon. Come along to discover, understand and enjoy our moon, plus receive a comprehensive handout. This talk is for you!

Monthly Meeting September - The most surprising discoveries from our universe – with Chris Lintott
2025-09-08 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
This is a screening of a Gresham College Astronomy Lecture.
When capturing the first glimpses of the earliest galaxies, the Hubble Space Telescope was focused on a region of space presumed to be vacant. However, the image it produced was anything but – the iconic Hubble Ultra-Deep Field image revealed at least 10,000 galaxies.
Another astonishingly accidental discovery was the hidden story of Enceladus, one of Saturn’s myriad moons. Very little was known about Enceladus until NASA’s Cassini probe revealed its environment in more detail, including its capabilities as a potential haven for life.
The narrative continues with the revelation of pulsars, the remnants of colossal stars long extinguished. They were not uncovered through meticulous observation but rather as hidden gems within the unassuming data, disguised as background noise in the measurements of faint celestial radio signals.
As new observatories and state-of-the-art technology continue to develop, Chris calls for scientists to keep an open mind as the potential for discovery grows, allowing us to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
—-
Christopher John Lintott is a British astrophysicist, author and broadcaster. He is a Professor of Astrophysics in the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford, and since 2023 is the Gresham Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College, London. Lintott is involved in a number of popular science projects aimed at bringing astronomy to a wider audience and is also the primary presenter of the BBC television series The Sky at Night.

The meeting will be followed by tea, coffee and snacks.

Emerging Astronomers September – How small are we?
2025-09-15 19:00 - 20:00
Imagine this: if the Sun were shrunk to the size of a beachball, Earth would be no bigger than a peppercorn, rolling around 30 meters away. That’s how tiny our world really is compared to the universe!
This Monday, we’ll dive in the size of the universe. From the size of you and me, to planets, stars, galaxies, and the largest structures in the universe. Along the way, we’ll use fun comparisons and visuals to help you feel the immensity of space.
We are very small.
Smaller than you might think.

Practical Astronomical September - The Spring Night Sky
2025-09-15 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
This will be one of our quarterly Planetarium sessions, where we will review the Spring Night Sky. We will go over the main constellations of the Spring Night Sky and some of the deep sky objects to be found in them

Film Night September - The Planets - 25 Years Later : Moon
2025-09-22 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
The Planets – 25 Years Later : Moon
The Earth’s moon has been the companion in the sky, marking the seasons, the year, the tides, and even the biology of all life on earth. But what is it ? From rock, to a dust ball – to green cheese – speculation has abounded until 1957 when the first spacecraft of human construction, Sputnik 1, opened the Solar System to human exploration. The moon was one of our earliest targets, as the nearest – and most arrestingly mysterious yet beautiful – celestial body. Men flew around the moon in 1968 with Apollo 8 at Christmas time that troubled year, and landed on the moon in July 1969 with the success of Apollo 11 – and humanity at last touched, and walked on the moon. Since that time, and since 1999, there’s been a lot of exploration of the moon – and there is more to come. And that’s before we consider the other moons of the Solar System, still more amazing…
Refinements in lunar exploration, with low orbits, pioneered with Clementine (after which a lunar orbit is named)
Irrefutable proof we went there – photos of the landers from the exploration ships of multiple countries
Still going strong since 1969 – the ALSEP laser reflectors. Dusty, but working…
Captures of lunar impacts by amateurs in recent years – there are new craters being made all the time…
The discovery of water ice at both poles of the moon.
The rediscovery of the concept of the ‘Lunar Arecibo’ on the Dark Side
Triumphs of the Kerbal Space Program in terms of recent lunar mishaps of landers ….
Forthcoming explorations of the moon by robot probe and manned missions in the years to come

Introduction to Astronomy October 2025
2025-10-06 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory
Charting the Changing Sky
Recently, with much media attention, the first images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory were released to the press. Come along and learn what makes this telescope special and gets astronomers so excited about what it can do. Discover how its unique mirror design, in combination with the largest digital camera ever built, allows it to perform observations surveying the night sky like never before. Chris Benton will then discuss in depth its prime mission, the ten-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time, including the science it will perform, and how this will revolutionise our understanding of the Universe.

Emerging astronomers - myths in Astronomy
2025-10-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Are there aliens?
What happens if you get sucked into a black hole?
Will the universe end? And how?
Will a comet hit the Earth and end the world? (Hint: Not in our lifetime!)
Let’s find the answers to these awe dropping questions on Monday night!
Be sure to come early, you can’t travel faster than the speed of light!

Monthly Meeting October - The Messy Eating Habits of Black Holes
2025-10-13 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
When an unsuspecting star wanders too close to a supermassive black hole, the star can be ripped apart by the black hole’s immense gravity. As the black hole messily feeds on the star, it produces an amazing display of light as bright as ten billion suns for many months. Using new surveys, astronomers are finding these hungry black holes throughout the Universe. Recently, it has been discovered that many years after feeding, these black holes sometimes produce a “heartbeat” of X-ray eruptions that repeat every several hours. Dr. Piro will describe some of the best theories to explain this mystery and what they can teach us about these enigmatic objects. Dr. Anthony Piro – Staff Scientist, Carnegie Science Observatories.

This is a rescreening of a Carnegie Science Lecture.

Meeting will be followed by tea, coffee and snacks.

Practical Astronomy October - Names and Catalogues
2025-10-20 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
This month we will be discussing the naming conventions for Celestial objects.

Film Night October - The Planets - 25 Years Later : Star
2025-10-27 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
The Planets – 25 Years Later : Star

The 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.
For 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.
But how does the sun relate to the Planets ? Starting with Galileo Galilei, we learned that the sun is not perfect – there are sunspots.
Father Giovanni Secchi at the Vatican observatory proved spectroscopically that the Sun is a star.
With 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.
The 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
Mercury 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
the Solar System in turn.

Since 1999, the Sun continues to fuel science and exploration :

Orbiting Observatories of the Sun – SOHO, Ulysses – and the mapping of the Corona, as well as the and discovery of new comets.
The Parker solar probe – in flight since 2018, doing Coronal dives
The Solar Space Fleet – STEREO, Parker, PUNCH, Hinode
Aurorae of the Gas Giants
Imaging the stars – The spots of Betelguese and other stars
Exoplanets and their aurorae visible from light years away
The Star Upon the Earth – controlled fusion reactors of the future.

2025 Annual Burbidge Dinner
2025-11-01 18:30 - 22:00 | Sorrento In the Park, Cornwall Park, Auckland, New Zealand
The after dinner speaker for this year’s Burbidge Dinner will be Professor Geraint Lewis.
Heavenly Tensions: Is modern cosmology in crisis?
In this talk, Professor Lewis will explore the growing tensions in modern cosmology—observational discrepancies that may signal cracks in the standard model. He will start with the Hubble tension, a persistent mismatch between early- and late-universe measurements of the expansion rate, which challenges our understanding of cosmic history. From there, we will examine the cosmological principle, the assumption of large-scale uniformity, and how emerging evidence of dipole anisotropies—directional patterns in distributions of galaxies—may undermine this foundational idea. He will conclude with a “state of the nation” overview, assessing whether cosmology is facing a genuine crisis or simply entering a new phase of discovery.
Geraint 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.

Ticket prices:

Members Early Bird price (paid by 17 Oct): $65
Members price after 17 Oct: $75
Non-members: $75 earlybird, $85 after 17 Oct.

Payment can be made to:
Auckland Astronomical Society
12-3061-0321397-00
Please use your surname and Dinner as references for the payment.

​

Monthly Meeting November - Strange Nature of Time across the Universe - how does time work in Einstein’s cosmos
2025-11-03 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
Strange Nature of Time across the Universe – how does time work in Einstein’s cosmos
Time. 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?
Geraint 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.

Introduction to Astronomy November 2025
2025-11-10 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
The Depth of The Night Sky (An Introduction)
by guest speaker: Jonathan Park
When 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.
This 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.

Emerging Astronomers - How does a telescope work? And let's look through one.
2025-11-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
You might have seen or used a telescope, but how do they actually work?
This Monday, we will explore how telescope could make a dot in the sky look much more special like magic.
If the weather is good, we will run the EWB Zeiss telescope half way into the meeting and look at objects such as Saturn, Alpha Centauri, Tarantula nebula and more.
Hope to see you there!

Practical Astronomy November - Telescopes
2025-11-17 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
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.

Film Night November 2025
2025-11-24 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
The Planets 25 Years Later : Atmosphere
The 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.
To 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.
Mikhail 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’
Dave 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,
to 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.
Saturn is next, with the coming exploration by Cassini, and the moon Titan, the only moon in our Solar System with its own thick atmosphere.

Since 1999, there have been many developments in understanding the atmospheres of the planets and moons of our Solar Systems, and the exoplanets beyond:

Huygens has landed on Titan, and the atmospheric conditions are now well described.
We know a lot more about the great cycles of Venus’ atmosphere
We have been able to confirm the comet-like tails of planets like Venus, where the atmosphere is being stripped away by solar winds.
With the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, it is now possible to sample those ‘tails’ by IR Spectroscopy, and measure their content.
In some cases, we can even detect if those atmospheres contain bio-markers for those present in the Ecosphere of their parent stars.

————–

Introduction to Astronomy December 2025
2025-12-01 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Annual Fun Quiz Night!
As we approach the end of the year, it’s time for our annual quiz. We’ll have fun reflecting on topics covered over 2025, including the search for exoplanets and extraterrestrial life, the Vera Rubin Observatory, lunar science and the Apollo moon landings, stellar and exoplanetary spectroscopy, and NASA’s Clipper mission to Europa. Most importantly, there are loads of yummy chocolates to win!
The quiz is designed for those who attended all, some or none of the talks during the year, so there’s no excuse to miss out! Come along and have fun reviewing and learning the main points from our regular sessions.
We look forward to seeing you all there, ready for chocolate!
This meeting will also be live-streamed on the AAS YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety

Emerging astronomers - Scavenger hunt & quiz
2025-12-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
Are you ready for a recap of this year?
This month, we’re launching a scavenger hunt based on the topics we tackled this year.
Let’s work together, solve cosmic clues, and race the clock.
After that, be sure to bring your devices for a Kahoot.There’s something for the top team!
Don’t miss it, this is the final emerging astronomers meeting of the year!

Monthly Meeting December - The Modern Epicycles of Cosmology
2025-12-08 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
Cosmology is in crisis. We know very little about dark energy and dark matter, two things that cosmologists believe
are fundamental to the Universe and integral to the standard model of cosmology. With each new set of high-
precision observation, disagreements between data and the standard model grow. This year experiments like the
DESI survey have cast doubt on the nature of dark energy and how the Universe changed over time. Now the lead-
ing suggestions are that the strength of dark energy changes with time, adding yet more mystery to the phenome-
na. While these new models fit the data, are they true, or are they adding more complexity to a flawed concept? In
this talk we will explore the current landscape of cosmology and question the foundational assumptions of modern
cosmology.
Dr Ryan Ridden is a Rutherford Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Canterbury. His research is fo-
cused in the time domain of astronomy and covers a wide range of topics including supernovae, solar system ob-
jects, exoplanets, active galaxies, and cosmology. Ryan is leading the international Cosmic Cataclysms Collabora-
tion, using space telescope data to search for the fastest explosions and variable objects in the Universe. Earlier this
year Ryan was part of a collaboration which used supernova data to test models of the Universe that did not use
dark energy. Alongside research, Ryan has engaged in public outreach and education, frequently giving public lec-
tures and mentoring future scientists.

Practical Astronomy December - The Summer Night Sky
2025-12-15 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
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.

Practical Astronomy February - an Introduction to Astrophotography
2026-02-02 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
This talk will cover the basics of Astrophotography including, composition, equipment and processing.
Note the date swap with the February Introduction to Astronomy talk

2026 Beatrice Hill-Tinsley Lecture Series - Astronomy vs. the Billionaire Space Race
2026-02-04 18:00 - 19:30 | University of Auckland – Physics Lecture Theatre 1, PLT1/303-G20, Science Centre, 38 Princes St, Auckland, New Zealand
The AAS, in conjunction with the University of Auckland are hosting one of the 2026 Beactrice Hill-Tinsley lecture series. Entry is free but please book to ensure your seat:
https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/astronomy-vs-the-billionaire-space-race-tickets-1979945182339?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Emerging astronomers - Scavenger hunt & quiz
2026-02-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
Are you ready for a recap of last year’s topics?
This month, we’re launching a scavenger hunt based on the topics we tackled last year.
Let’s work together, solve cosmic clues, and race the clock.
After that, be sure to bring your devices for a Kahoot.There’s something for the top team!
If you are joining us, please bring your devices and if you can, download Goosechase as we will be using Goosechase for our session.
Hope to see you there!

Monthy Meeting February - From Mars with Love: Postcards from 50 Years of Exploring The Red Planet
2026-02-09 20:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
This meeting will be screening a Gresham College Lecture with Professor Chris Lintott
During 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.
This lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on the 3rd of December 2025 at Conway Hall, London.
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.

Introduction to Astronomy February 2026
2026-02-16 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Astronaut Radiation Exposure
How safe is deep-space travel?
This month, humans are returning to the Moon for the first time since 1972. NASA’s Artemis II mission is sending four astronauts as a stepping stone towards a Moon base and, eventually, Mars by 2030 and 2040, respectively. Radiation exposure is a major challenge to astronauts. How much radiation will Moon- and Mars-bound astronauts be exposed to, including traversing Earth’s Van Allen Belts, and what is their risk of radiation-related illness or diseases from such journeys?
Come along for an in-depth discussion on what radiation is, where it comes from, how it affects the body, and how much is considered acceptable. Finally, we discuss current and future countermeasures, including data from the 2022 Artemis I mission. Learn about NASA’s current research that benefits astronauts, cancer patients, and society in general. All attendees receive a comprehensive multi-page handout.
See you all there!

Special General Meeting - New Constitution
2026-02-23 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
For the purpose of reregistering the Society under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
What is happening?
In 2022 the Government passed a law that changes the way incorporated societies like ours work and are structured. Each society is required to update their constitution to include language mandated by the Act, and reregister by 5th April 2026 in order to remain on the register.
What has changed?
Where possible, the proposed Constitution (including our purpose, AGM timing, quorum size, and overall structure) has been kept the same as our current Rules. Key changes include a clearer process for dispute resolution, more flexible ways to participate in General Meetings, clearer governance and transparency requirements, and a number of smaller clarifications particularly regarding notice periods. As a result of the requirements of the Act, the new proposed Constitution has many more clauses than our current Rules. In addition, the Regulations formulated by Council in 2022 are being adopted as Bylaws of the Society under the Act.
How have the changes been made?
A subcommittee of Council has met several times to combine our existing Rules with the changes required by the Act. This has been an exhaustive process requiring much deliberation. A draft Constitution was presented to Council in late 2025 for review, and many amendments were made over several rounds of revision. Council has approved Version 10 of the Constitution as suitable to be brought to the Society membership for ratification.
What is needed from me?
Please read the documents! Though Council has approved the version of the Constitution to be presented at the SGM, it is not binding until formally approved by the Society membership. We want you to be well informed on what is changing, so that any questions or concerns you may have can be addressed. It’s also possible that you have never heard of the Society Regulations (called Bylaws under the new Act), in which case a review is highly recommended. A link to the meeting agenda and documents has been sent to all members via email
Please come to the SGM! This is a very significant meeting for the Society, as we must reregister by 5th April 2026 to remain on the register, so high attendance is critical to achieve the required quorum to pass the necessary motions. If the new Constitution is not passed at the SGM, it will put a lot of pressure on us to meet the April deadline. If there are any amendments still to be made, the earlier the better.
The following motions are to be put at the SGM:
That the Auckland Astronomical Society be reregistered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
That the document ‘AAS Constitution Version 10 – 24Jan26’ be ratified as the new Constitution.
That the existing Council members be the Officers of the Society under the Act.
That the submission of the contact details of the current President, Vice-President and Treasurer as the AAS contact persons be approved.
That the document ‘AAS Bylaws – 28 January 2026’ be approved as the Bylaws of the new Constitution.
No other business will be transacted at the meeting.
Hope to see you there.
Mitchell Clark
AAS President

Introduction to Astronomy March 2026
2026-03-02 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Gamma Ray Bursts
by guest speaker Dr Nick Odom
Gamma ray bursts were discovered serendipitously in the 1960s. They remained a mystery for many years. Since 1997, satellite technology has enabled their nature to be better understood, thereby providing insight into the most distant and energetic explosions in the universe. Come along and learn about these fascinating events and what they tell us about the Universe.
This meeting will also be live-streamed on the AAS YouTube channel
See you all there!
