Date/Time
Date(s) - Sat 10 October
19:30
Location
Star Field site, 10 mins outside of Martinborough
Excited to explore the wonders of a dark night sky under the glowing Milky Way in the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve, one of only 24 internationally accreditted dark sky reserves in the world?
You will be given a a laser pointer tour of the pristine dark night sky, introduced to the world of astrophotography and spend as much time as you like looking through a large telescope at the spectacular nebulae, distant galaxies, planetary nebula (dying stars), globular clusters, double stars and planets.
Star Field is a private dark sky astronomical facility sited in and close to the core of the newly accredited Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve, the second dark sky reserve in Aotearoa New Zealand. Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve in the South Island is our first dark sky reserve.
The cost for the public is $20/adult and $5/children (primary/secondary school age). The event is limited to 10 non-members so book early. Wellington Astronomical Society members attend for free.
Register by contacting us through FaceBook Messenger or by emailing events@was.org.nz. Include your email and mobile phone in the text. Directions to the site in the Wairarapa, and any updates, will be emailed out. You are welcome to stay on-site either in a tent or sleep in a car but please tell the organisers if you intend to do so.
What to bring:
Warm clothes as it gets pretty cold at night, beanie, gloves etc.
Snacks if you want.
Warm drinks are provided.
A warm room is available if you need warming up.
A flush toilet is available on-site.
For astrophotography:
A DSLR or mirrorless camera,
A wide angle lens (preferably),
A tripod to fix the camera to,
Be careful with car headlights when you arrive. With people taking photos, please keep lights to a minimum (use red lights if you can), especially car headlights (use parking lights).
For those just interested in Deep Sky Observing, telescopes will be provided unless you want to bring your own.
For further details or cancellations contact Antony (021 2534979). This event will be updated by lunchtime on the day of the event if the weather forecast is not looking good.
Star Field is made available to members of the Wellington Astronomical Society through the generosity of John Whitby.