Auckland Astronomical Society Inc

Astrophotography Group - Restart
2024-02-19 19:00 - 20:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | 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.

Introduction to Astronomy March 2023
2024-03-04 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Understanding the Observable Universe
Guest Speaker: Jonathan Park
Join us as we explore space and time to gain an understanding of the concept of the “observable universe”. It may seem paradoxical at first: the universe is only 13.8 billion years old, yet the “observable” universe is a region of space 93 billion light-years across, with us in the centre. Even stranger, the oldest light we can see (13.8 billion years old) started only 42 million light-years away from our location. How can this be? What are we really seeing out in the universe? Tonight, Jonathan will explain, and hope that you find this as fascinating as we all do!

The meeting will also be live-streamed on the AAS YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety

Young Astronomers March - Solving the Mysteries of Galaxies
2024-03-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This month’s meeting will be solving mysteries of galaxies!
Some questions are, what are galaxies? Why are some of them S shaped and why do some of them look like eggs in space? What is this fuss about the Milky way’s collision with the Andromeda Galaxy? And joining us will debunk these questions! A cool activity of this meeting will be looking at live viewing of galaxies on the projector taken by online telescopes controlled by me and if we are lucky, we might be able to also see some live views of nebulas! Note: It is possible that telescopes are offline due to bad weather in Chile.
Hope to see you there.
Alex

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.

Film Night February
2024-03-25 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.
The Far Side of the Moon Like You’ve Never Seen It Before

Allow me to ask you a question: “If you could visit anywhere on the Moon, where would you go? There are mountains and craters here, scientific marvels, and mysteries cloaked in pitch-black shadows. Join us to view the Moon as seen by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

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.

Introduction to Astronomy April 2024
2024-04-01 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Physics and History: The Earth and Solar System
We are taught about ancient ways of looking at the universe from a modern perspective. We tend to regard past ideas about the universe as being wrong simply because we think we know better, while ignoring the fact that in past times the whole basis of reasoning was very different from today. This talk explores past worldviews; it also describes several pioneers who changed the worldview, both through observation and by developing new ideas and concepts.
This interesting topic is not to be missed, and we look forward to seeing you there!
This meeting will also be live-streamed on the AAS YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety

2024 Beactrice Hill-Tinsley Lecture Series - Searching for Alien Earths
2024-04-04 18:00 - 19:00 | University of Auckland – Physics Lecture Theatre 1, PLT1/303-G20, Science Centre, 38 Princes St, Auckland, New Zealand
The AAS and University of Auckland are co-hosting one of this year’s Beatrice Hill-Tinsley Lecture Series.
The BHT Lecturer for 2024 is Lisa Kaltenegger.

Lisa Kaltenegger is the Director of the Carl Sagan Institute for the Search for Life in the Cosmos at Cornell and Associate Professor in Astronomy. She is a pioneer and world-leading expert in modeling potential habitable worlds and their detectable spectral fingerprint. Her research focuses on how to find life on exoplanets circling other stars. Lisa Kaltenegger served among others on the National Science Foundation’s Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee that advises the US Congress, and on NASA’s senior review of operating missions. She is a Science Team Member of NASA’s planet hunting mission, TESS, as well as the NIRISS instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope.
Lisa Kaltenegger was named one of America’s Young Innovators by Smithsonian Magazine, an Innovator to Watch by TIME Magazine, and was selected as one of the European Commission’s Role Models for Women in Science and Research. Among her international awards are the Lise Meitner Lecture of the German and Austrian Physics Society, the Invited Discourse lecture at the IAU General Assembly in Hawaii, the Heinz Meier Leibnitz Prize for Physics of Germany, the Doppler Prize for Innovation in Science of Austria, and the Barry-Jones Inauguration Award of the Royal Astrobiology Society and Open University in Britain. Her review 2017 on How to Characterize Habitable Worlds and Signs of Life was selected by Annual Reviews as part a collection celebrating pioneering women scientists.
She is part of the IMAX 3D movie “The Search for Life in Space” and gives public lectures e.g. at Aspen Ideas Festival, TED Youth, World Science Festival and the Kavli Foundation lecture at the Adler Planetarium, which was live-streamed to 6 continents. Her book “Alien Earths” will be published on April 16 2024 by MacMillan Press. Asteroid Kaltenegger7734 is named after her.
Lisa will be presenting her work in a lecture titled Searching for Alien Earths.
The RASNZ Lecture Trust are delighted and excited to have Lisa as this year’s BHT lecturer, she will no doubt be entertaining and educational to all ages and backgrounds.
Attendance is free but you need to book via the link below
https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/searching-for-alien-earths-tickets-810645491487
Venue:
University of Auckland,
Physics Lecture Theatre 1 – PLT1/303-G20,
Science Centre,
38 Princes Street, Auckland

Young Astronomers Group - April
2024-04-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
In this meeting, Alex will recap some really fun astronomy facts and topics that we have covered over the past few months. Alex has checked stellarium and 7pm is already quite dark on Monday with the daylight saving changeover, so he will bring out his telescope (Seestar S50) and observe celestial objects such as M42, Omega Centauri and will ask the members for some cool ideas! BTW the weather is looking great on Monday! If clouds start to move in, he will put on a Kahoot.
Because Seestar S50 requires software, many kids need to install that software on their phone in order to see cool celestial objects. To solve this problem, he will put a live stream on the projector from his device. See you all on monday!

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.

Annual General Meeting 2024
2024-04-29 19:30 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland, 1345
The Auckland Astronomical Society Annual General Meeting 2024
All members are encouraged to attend.
The meeting will commence with the various reports from the AAS, Stardome Observatory and Astronomy New Zealand Ltd. This will follow with the election of officers for 2024/2025 and general business.

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.

Young Astronomers Group -
2024-05-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This month the topic will be weather dependent. If the weather is clear, we will observe celestial objects using the EWB Zeiss telescope, otherwise, Alex will do a presentation about the solar system in a nutshell and fun facts about planets, comets, asteroids and dwarf planets. 🙂
Hope to see you there.

Alex

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.

Introduction to Astronomy June 2024
2024-06-03 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
The Sun & The Southern Lights
What’s going on?
We’ve all recently been spoiled with stunning views of the Southern Lights, something we never thought would be so visible this far north! Chris Benton discusses what causes these spectacular displays of nature, from electromagnetic processes on the Sun to where and when to view them best on Earth. Come along and learn more about this incredible phenomenon that captivates us all!
Best regards, The AAS Team

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.

Young Astronomers June - The Solar System
2024-06-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Are you interested in the planets of the solar system? Why does Saturn have rings? Why is Mars red? Is Neptune truly deep blue like in Voyager 2’s image? This month’s meeting will focus on debunking the mysteries of the solar system. After the presentation, there will be a Kahoot quiz, so be sure to bring a device!

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.

Introduction to Astronomy July 2024
2024-07-01 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
New Ideas on the Moon’s Formation and its Importance to Life on Earth
How often do you look up at the Moon and think nothing more? Scientists have debated how Earth acquired our unique Moon for years, involving five possibilities. Chris Benton discusses these, including the most widely accepted Giant Impact Hypothesis and its troubling flaws, and reviews new high-resolution simulations that provide solutions. Following this, we will discuss why the Moon’s existence is critical to life on Earth and will forever change the way you appreciate the Moon when looking up!
Enjoy this vital planetary science and astrobiology topic, plus the discussion to follow.
