For all planet hunters out there From the start of the month Jupiter’s position just keeps getting better and better. At the start of the month it rises about 5:30 in the very early evening […]
News from the Galactic Centre
A Kiwi perspective on astronomy and space science news and how to get the most out the night sky
Highlights from the last few days about space and what’s coming up
Beresheet spacecraft entered lunar orbit and further speculation of the future of the SLS and commercial involvement in the Moon programme. The announcement that the Event Horizon Telescope may give us the first ever picture of the event horizon around the Super Massive Black Hole at the centre of our galaxy
NASA’s Exploration Mission 1 (EM1) and Who Might Launch it.
The Vice President of the US announced that the administration wants the US to return astronauts to the Moon by 2024. For this to happen there needs to be a way of getting them there and the SLS will probably not be ready.
What’s Happening in Space (and on Earth)
There’s a Rocket Lab Electron due to lift off on Wednesday, Beresheet is going to land on the Moon on the 11 April and SpaceX’s Starhopper might make it’s first tentative lift off with its one Raptor engine.
The 21 March 2019 Supermoon, or the more common name, Perigee Syzygy of the Sun, Earth and Moon system.
Tonight is the last Supermoon for 2019 so if you get a chance, go outside and have a look. But if you miss it, don’t worry, it’ll be back next year.
NASA Astronauts to the Moon – powered by SpaceX
NASA acknowledged that a commercial rocket might be an option to get Exploration Mission 1 off the ground. Could the first flight of the Orion Spacecraft be on a Falcon Heavy?
Brashear Telescope Restoration
The Brashear Telescope is a masterpiece of the Victorian age technology. It stands 9 m tall with a refracting lens of 18 inches (45.72 cm) across. And it is getting a new home in Tekapo, […]
50 Years Since Apollo 9, Spider and Gumdrop
50 years ago Apollo 9 launched and carried three crew members around the Earth for ten days testing the spacecraft and systems that would ultimately take people to the Moon.
News from the Solar System – Fly me to the Moon
News from space in January and February 2019
My time as a MOA observer
“MOA (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) is a Japan/NZ collaboration that makes observations on dark matter, extra-solar planets and stellar atmospheres using the gravitational microlensing technique at the University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory in New Zealand. Further studies are also carried out.” (MOA Page, University of Canterbury)
OSIRIS-REx Arrived at Bennu Late Last Year – What’s Next?
OSIRIS-REx has been at Bennu for about a month on its mission to examine the asteroid and get a sample to bring back to Earth in 2023.
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS)
Hopefully in June next year NASA will launch Exploration Mission 1 on the SLS, which will be the first step in getting humans back to the Moon.
Navigating the Night Sky – Part 4
This is the fourth video in the series and looks at the area between the Southern Cross and the Diamond Cross, along the Milky Way, in the Southern Sky. You’ll need binoculars to see the objects in this video.
New Zealand and Australia won’t see the Lunar Eclipse
Unfortunately we will miss the Lunar Eclipse this Monday night/Tuesday morning and the programme for the next couple of years for eclipses is very light for this part of the world.
What Happened to the Google Lunar X-Prize Contestants?
The five teams that made it to the final of the Google Lunar X-Prize are still working on their launch plans, despite the competition ending with no winner, with Moon Express and SpaceIL planning to launch this year.
The Difficulties in Observing the Transit of Venus in 1761 and 1769
Observing the transit of Venus was no easy task, it required careful observations and measurement. 250 years ago expeditions went out across the world to measure this amazing and rare event in order to help us understand the size of the known universe.
Complete instructions for making a star party
Party Time – Astronomy Style!
So you want to invite some friends over and you need a theme for your party. Why not make it as big as the universe, and take your guests on a view of the cosmos? It’s fun, it’s easy, and you don’t need a degree in the finer points of astrophysics (although that could be a hoot as well). The goal is for everyone to have a good time and not necessarily to earn three college credits in astronomy when the night is done. So let’s get started.
Edmund Halley and the Beginnings of James Cook’s Trip to New Zealand
James Cook’s voyage to Tahiti in 1769 was the culmination of 130 years of work to observe and understand the Transit of Venus. Edmund Halley was instrumental in laying the foundations for the successful observations in 1769 and ultimately solving the Earth – Sun distance.
Starship and Super Heavy, the next phase of BFR from Elon Musk’s SpaceX
The Starship/Super Heavy combination that is the new name for SpaceX’s BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) is taking shape in Texas with construction of a test vehicle known as Starhopper.
China’s Rover on the Dark Side of the Moon
On 3rd of January, China’s rover Chang’e 4 landed on the lunar surface. This was the first time humans have landed anything on the so called dark side of the Moon – it’s not really […]
A day in the life of an Astronomy guide
I am an Astronomy guide. I live in the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve, working for Earth and Sky where we take people on tours of the sky and research telescopes. Because of my somewhat […]
