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DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260209T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260209T200000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260216T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260216T210000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
CREATED:20260118T071456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260131T021910Z
UID:2986-1771272000-1771275600@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Introduction to Astronomy February 2026
DESCRIPTION:Astronaut Radiation Exposure\nHow safe is deep-space travel?\nThis 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? \nCome 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. \nSee you all there!
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/introduction-to-astronomy-february-2026/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory\, 670 Manukau Rd\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345\, New Zealand
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260223T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260223T210000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
CREATED:20260207T214514Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260207T214514Z
UID:3005-1771876800-1771880400@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Special General Meeting - New Constitution
DESCRIPTION:For the purpose of reregistering the Society under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.\nWhat is happening? \nIn 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. \nWhat has changed? \nWhere 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. \nHow have the changes been made? \nA 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. \nWhat is needed from me? \nPlease 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 \nPlease 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. \nThe following motions are to be put at the SGM: \nThat the Auckland Astronomical Society be reregistered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.\nThat the document ‘AAS Constitution Version 10 – 24Jan26’ be ratified as the new Constitution.\nThat the existing Council members be the Officers of the Society under the Act.\nThat the submission of the contact details of the current President\, Vice-President and Treasurer as the AAS contact persons be approved.\nThat the document ‘AAS Bylaws – 28 January 2026’ be approved as the Bylaws of the new Constitution. \nNo other business will be transacted at the meeting. \nHope to see you there. \nMitchell Clark\nAAS President
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/special-general-meeting-new-constitution/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory & Planetarium\, 670 Manukau Road\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345
CATEGORIES:SGM
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DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260302T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260302T210000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
CREATED:20260215T230833Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260215T230833Z
UID:3052-1772481600-1772485200@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Introduction to Astronomy March 2026
DESCRIPTION:Gamma Ray Bursts\nby guest speaker Dr Nick Odom\nGamma 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. \nThis meeting will also be live-streamed on the AAS YouTube channel \nSee you all there!
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/introduction-to-astronomy-march-2026/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory\, 670 Manukau Rd\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345\, New Zealand
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260309T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260309T210000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260316T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260316T210000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
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:20260406T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260406T210000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
CREATED:20260321T012015Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260321T012015Z
UID:3080-1775505600-1775509200@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Introduction to Astronomy April 2026
DESCRIPTION:The Origin of the Elements \nThe making of everything – from us to gold rings \nEverything and everyone around you is made up of atoms from combinations of up to 118 elements. From the iron in your blood\, the calcium in your bones\, the silicon in your phone\, to the gold and silver in your jewellery. \nWhat are atoms and elements? Where did they come from and how were they made? Tonight\, Chris Benton will answer these questions\, including how stars live\, collide\, and die\, and importantly\, how many of them end their lives as massive supernova explosions. You will learn all of this and much more\, showing how the famous astronomer\, Carl Sagan\, was right in saying that we are all made of starstuff. \nAll attendees will receive a comprehensive\, multi-page handout that covers and expands on everything we discuss. Don’t miss out!
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/introduction-to-astronomy-april-2026/
LOCATION:Stardome Observatory\, 670 Manukau Rd\, Epsom\, Auckland\, 1345\, New Zealand
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260413T200000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260413T210000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260417T163000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260419T110000
DTSTAMP:20260412T114358
CREATED:20260223T062529Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260324T231711Z
UID:3055-1776443400-1776596400@www.astronomy.org.nz
SUMMARY:Northern Star Party – April 17th to April 19th 2026
DESCRIPTION:Dark Sky Weekend\nWe are excited to announce the dates for the Northern Star Party for 2026 to  held at Waharau Regional Park and hosted by the Auckland Astronomical Society.   We are holding the event over the nights of Friday 18th and Saturday 18th of April. Packing up on the morning of Sunday the 19th. \nIt will be a weekend of practical astronomy and dark sky observing.  It is great opportunity to spend a weekend viewing the sky from a dark site\, on Moonless nights\, though a range of different telescopes. Bring your telescope or binoculars\, but if you don’t have any there will be plenty there for you to look through.  Also the society has telescopes available for hire though the hire will have to be set up prior to the camp.  For rental enquiries\, please email rental@astronomy.org.nz \n               \n       \nDuring the day on Saturday\, there will be a full program of practical astronomy – how to use equipment and various types of telescopes\, new equipment demonstrations and an astrophotography workshop. \nFilms will be shown in the early evening on Friday and if appropriate on Saturday. \n  \n\n\n\nPrices\nMembers\nNon-members\n\n\nEarly Bird paid by 12th April\n$30\n$40\n\n\nLate bookings\n$50\n$60\n\n\n\n  \nNo one night price. \nTo book\, please log into Hello Club……….Click here for link. \nFrom the Hello Club page\, you will need to log in. \nProgram: \nFriday: Viewing\, movie (TBC) \nSaturday: \nWorkshops: 1:00pm to 2:30 pm. \nSolar Viewing during the day on Saturday. \n\n\n\nTime\nActivity\nDetails\n\n\n13:00\nDwarf Mini and Dwarf 3 compact Smart Telescopes by Dwarf Lab\nThis presentation outlines their design\, operation\, and real-world performance in imaging deep-sky objects. Also covered is tracking\, image capture\, stacking\, processing and using their Stellar Studio processing suite.\n\n\n14:00 – 14:30\nEasy Image Stacking for Beginners\n\nWhy stack?\nStacking demonstration\nStacking tips\nSurvey of stacking software\n\n\n\n16:30 – 18:00\nTelescope trail\nTelescope trail\n\n\n\nFor the full information pack\, click here. \nSome possible visual observations on the nights\nSome visible with the naked eye\, some through small telescope
URL:https://www.astronomy.org.nz/event/northern-star-party-april-17th-to-april-19th-2026/
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