Monthly Meeting December - The Modern Epicycles of Cosmology
2025-12-08 20:00 - 21:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | 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

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
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.
See you all there!
