Milky Way Kiwi

18/07/2024

Below is a plot I made from a paper by Yoichi Takeda recently published in Solar Physics that measured solar differential rotation using iodine-cell spectroscopy (full reference is on the plot). It shows the difference in rotation of the Sun between latitudes. Basically the poles are spinning slower than at the equator. This paper gives a formula to model the differential rotation.

08/07/2024

Here’s a graphic for the Gateway Lunar Space Station. This space station will orbit the Moon! Graphic from NASA’s Gateway Program X Page, . The HALO module is currently being assembled.

26/06/2024

The interpretation of Matariki and the number of stars traditionally associated with it can vary across different iwi (tribes) and regions. But the real number of stars is yet very different than the interpretation....

The interpretation of Matariki and the number of stars traditionally associated with it can vary across different iwi (tribes) and regions. But the real number of stars is yet very different than the interpretation.

26/06/2024

What are Matariki, the stars that are now at the centre of attention in New Zealand?...

What are Matariki, the stars that are now at the centre of attention in New Zealand?

26/06/2024

This is the movie Hari ( Haritina ) got funding for from Tuia 250 and worked on as concept lead and creative producer in 2017-2018 with a team of great people.

We also played the movie at the Wairarapa Space Science Centre - Virtual Hub

Great to see it getting some international recognition.

MATARIKI DAY IN LONDON
Our very own THE NAVIGATORS sky dome film will be playing at the London Royal Observatory on June 29 to celebrate Matariki.

Tell your friends and whanau to pop along and celebrate Matariki at the Planetarium.

London Observatory:
"Celebrate Māori New Year and explore the connections between the stars and Pacific Island cultures with Royal Museums Greenwich.

"Matariki is a bright star cluster visible for most of the year in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Its first appearance in the night sky in late June or early July marks the beginning of the new year in Māori culture.

"This year the Royal Observatory Greenwich and National Maritime Museum are partnering with communities from across the vast Pacific Ocean based both in the UK and the Pacific to mark this important cultural moment, and highlight the links between the stars, the seasons and Tangata Moana (people of the Pacific Ocean).

12/06/2024

Matariki means Mata Ariki, the eye of the chief. Here is what the sky will look like on the 28th.

Providing we will have clear skies, the Matariki morning sky on the 28th of June 2024 is going to be spectacular.

04/06/2024

Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve has been recognised by the International Dark Sky Association for about 18 months. Despite this we still have no signs indicating to the many visitors to South Wairarapa and Carterton Districts that they are entering an internationally recognised dark sky reserve. Come on Wairarapa Sky stop congratulating each other and start getting the signs up. Kaikoura are already putting their signs up!

29/05/2024

In 2018 Trekkies got excited about about a possible planet orbiting the star 40 Eridani A. The probable planet matched the spot where Vulcan would be in the Star Trek galaxy. Measurements conducted be a new instrument at Kitt Peak have squashed the excitement as it turns out the dynamics of the star might have caused the original radial velocity measurements that led astronomers to think there might be a planet there.

A planet thought to orbit the star 40 Eridani A – host to Mr. Spock’s fictional home planet, Vulcan, in the “Star Trek” universe

21/05/2024

May kept us so busy with a comet, a S U P E R N O V A 🌞⭐️ and an Aurora Australis! So we totally geeked out and started taking photos of all three events — but also of Omega Centauri, M4, Gem Cluster, the Jewel Box, Centaurus A and some stars :) — check these out. Globe at Night is looking at Crux from the 28th of May to the 6th of June 2024. We find that the Moon has swirls, and there's a planetary alignment (of planets) in the morning sky on the 4th of June. Save the date if you dare wake up before sunrise.

Check out what you can see in the night sky in May - galaxies, quasars, globular clusters, constellations, the Moon and other wonders.

19/05/2024

This month, we've been running around taking photos of all the amazing celestial events we saw: a comet, a supernova, the Aurora Australis, and we almost could not keep up with so many things happening at once. And thanks to and the amazing Jet Productions we got in front of camera for a change, for an awesome photoshoot. All happened in May. What a cool month!

Check out some of the highlights and photos!

Check out what you can see in the night sky in May - galaxies, quasars, globular clusters, constellations, the Moon and other wonders.

07/05/2024

It’s International Day of Planetariums so Happy International Day of Planetariums! 🎉🥳

17/04/2024

Our new Perseverance rover having a look around the Rangatahi Hub at the Carterton Events Centre today.

16/04/2024

A massive black hole, named Gaia BH3, was found in the constellation Aquila. It is located 1926 light-years from Earth and has a mass of nearly 33 times that of the Sun. Find out more about it and about the Gaia telescope on our SpacewardBound website.

Scientists analysing data from ESA's Gaia mission discovered a massive black hole, named Gaia BH3, in the constellation Aquila, 1926 ly away.

16/04/2024

A new exciting NASA Citizen Science programme is available for everyone. Check out these asteroids!

What has an orbit like an asteroid but a tail like a comet?
It’s an active asteroid! ☄️
With the Active Asteroid project, you'll search images for asteroids with comet-like tails and help scientists discover clues about water in the Universe: science.nasa.gov/citizen-science/active-asteroids

14/04/2024

Just like "Open sesame", "Open April" is a pleonasm but we might have forgotten it is because the word April was invented long ago and far, far away, all the way to the other side of the world in Ancient Rome....

Just like "Open sesame", "Open April" is a pleonasm but we might have forgotten it is because the word April was invented long ago and far, far away, all the way to the other side of the world in Ancient Rome.

12/04/2024

Here’s the night sky in April.

April is the Global Astronomy Month, it has an International Dark Sky Week and is full of stars, galaxies and you can even see a quasar.

29/03/2024

We get a lot of questions about black holes when we visit schools. This post is about the latest release of an image of Sgr A* by the Event Horizon Telescope. It shows the magnetic field around the supermassive black hole.

In an astonishing leap forward in space exploration, scientists part of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration have recently unveiled a groundbreaking image of the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy, known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*).

13/03/2024

We’re in the Fale at Auckland University today working with the marine science students.

11/03/2024

What's in the sky in March?

As autumn starts in the southern hemisphere, at nightfall, half of our galaxy, the Milky Way, arches across the night sky from NNE to SSW like a river flowing through the heights of the heavens. Its edge is towards the western horizon, and its centre rises in the east. At the fringe of our milky city of stars, on the north-western horizon, the Pleiades or the Shining Ones (Te Tawhiti) are preparing for the journey to the underworld. They will disappear shortly behind the Sun and stay there for a while. And if this feels like deja vu, the sky looks exactly like last month because the Sun goes down earlier. The bright star Naos is our zenith star. One of the hottest and most luminous stars visible to the unaided eye, Naos goes by its official name of Zeta Puppis. The Milky Way is lining up to the south through Carina and Vela. Around midnight, you will see the centre of the Milky Way rising and, with it, Scorpius. To the northwest, Orion will be setting. Remember the legend that Scorpius and Orion are never seen in the sky at the same time? Wrong hemisphere! This time of the year, they are both there, one in the southeast and the other in the northwest. So, just like last month, the Milky Way is arching from the southeast to the northwest, splitting the sky into two distinct halves. On one side, you will see the Zodiacal Constellations; on the other, you will see the circumpolar stars.

Have you ever noticed that the sky in March after sunset looks just like the sky in February at the same time? With a few exceptions.

05/03/2024

MethaneSat launched a couple of hours ago on a SpaceX Falcon 9, this is a screen grab from the launch video. Congrats to NZ Space Agency for leading New Zealand’s contribution and to MBIE for providing the funding for the MOCC run by University of Auckland.

03/03/2024

If you think that the Moon's gravity influences your mood, think again.

We often give the Moon magical properties it simply does not have. The amount of illumination it provides changes and that's about it.

28/02/2024

Images of objects in space are often coloured to help astronomers work out what's going on. This post looks at what we can work out....

Images of objects in space are often coloured to help astronomers work out what's going on. This post looks at what we can work out.

24/02/2024

Here’s a video of the meteors that our camera has helped measure as part of the Fireballs Aotearoa network so far this year. They’re about 100km up and the line depicts the path of the meteor through the upper atmosphere.

22/02/2024

Both rovers are ready to go at Southend School today.

20/02/2024

We keep a close eye on what happens in space and here are our highlights for February 2024.

This month's space exploration column takes us from the frosty terrains of ancient Earth to the latest technological feats in Mars' atmosphere and beyond. Discover the vital insights shared by astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and journey with us through groundbreaking discoveries about black holes, the intriguing potential for life on Titan, and the innovative strategies powering Artemis Moon missions. Engage with the cultural significance of space exploration through Indigenous art and marvel at the celestial dance of orbital resonance. Dive into the cosmos with us at Milky-Way.Kiwi, where the universe is closer than ever.
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This month's space exploration column takes us from the frosty terrains of ancient Earth to the latest technological feats in Mars' atmosphere and beyond. Discover the vital insights shared by astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and journey with us through groundbreaking discoveries about black h...

18/02/2024

On Valentine's Day, we got inspired by the remarkable journey of astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, from the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space, and her visit to Wellington, meeting with members of Women in Space NZ and teachers at Hutt Valley High School. Thank you to the US Embassy in New Zealand for organising her visit to Wellington.

We get inspired by the remarkable journey of Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, from the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space, and her visit to Wellington meeting with Women in Space and teachers at Hutt Valley High School.

06/02/2024

Would you like to know what's in February in the sky but don't have time to read? We've got you covered, listen to our podcast, produced with the extraordinary support of Arrow FM 92.7FM

We look at what's in the sky in February and what you see when you're stargazing.

01/02/2024

Why is February called February? And most importantly why does it have a weird number of days? It all started with the ancient Romans. But is not all bad, in February we celebrate the Pale Blue Dot photo anniversary and National Pizza Day. Speaking of which, we cant' wait to get back to in Havelock North, New Zealand.

Get your dustpan out and prepare your vacuum cleaners! February might be famous for Valentine's Day but it is really all about cleaning!

25/01/2024

Every name has a story and January, the first month of the year is no exception. Where did the name come from?

Where did January get its name? The first month of the Gregorian calendar, ushers in the new year with a blend of anticipation and nostalgia. But have you ever wondered why it's called January and what significance this month holds in various cultures around the world? Let's journey through time and...