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Hi Sommerville
We're running a couple of special events this month - one for Star Wars fans and one for Mums!
If you are as excited about the new Star Wars trailer as we are you'll want to read more about our special May the Fourth night. Find out more about this event below.
We're also running a competition for Neil deGrasse Tyson's new talk show - StarTalk! You may have already caught the first episode on National Geographic Channel on Sky. We're looking forward to seeing who the upcoming guests will be.
Click here to download the May star charts.
Keep looking up!
The team at Stardome
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Latest News
25 years of Hubble Space Telescope
This past month marked 25 years since the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. On April 24, 1990 the space shuttle Discovery carried the telescope, named after American astronomer Edwin P. Hubble, into orbit. It now flies about 547 kilometres above the Earth, circling us every 97 minutes.
The telescope has changed history, making more than 1 million observations and according to NASA is “one of the most productive scientific instruments ever built” with its data used in more than 12,700 scientific papers.
Hubble will remain in orbit for the foreseeable future, but its low orbit means it will eventually come back to Earth. NASA hopes to develop a method of bringing this astronomical ‘hero’ back home safely.
For now, space enthusiasts have turned their attention to the James Webb Telescope, the next big orbital instrument that will be parked 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. The lessons learned from Hubble have been crucial in getting this instrument built and in the coming decades it will surely open our eyes to even more aspects of the vast expanse that is beyond our home planet.
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Sky Spotter
As May progresses we’re saying farewell to our summer constellation, Orion, as he sinks ever lower in the west. Orion’s belt, setting due west, also forms the bottom of ‘the pot’ which now lies on its side with its handle (Orion’s sword) pointing south.
The brilliant planet Venus (currently the evening ‘star’) is easily seen as the sky darkens in the northwest. Golden Jupiter follows from the northwest setting sometime before midnight. Jupiter with its four big moons is still a sight to be seen in a telescope. Beautiful Saturn is visible for the entire night after its dusk rising in the east-south-east. Saturn’s rings are angled for exceptional viewing through a telescope. Seven years from now they’ll be edge on and very hard to see (plenty of time yet).
The prominent winter constellation Scorpius with its red giant star Antares (rival of Mars) accompanies Saturn through the night. Other bright stars in the evening are Sirius (the brightest) above Orion in the west and Procyon above Venus. Arcturus appears low in the northeast twinkling red and green as the air breaks up its orange light. Quite high toward the south Alpha Centauri (the closest star) and Canopus appear either side of the meridian. Beautiful Crux (the Southern Cross) rises high in the south-south-east led, in darker skies, by a rich splash of star clusters on the background of the Milky Way. The globular cluster Omega Centauri (16000 light years away) appears as a misty spot to the east of Crux and, slightly west, the misty dwarf galaxies SMC and LMC slowly arc towards the southern horizon.
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What's On
May the Fourth
May the Fourth Stardome at celebrate you must.
Join us on May 4th to celebrate Star Wars. Watch We are Aliens or catch our Autumn Night Sky, everyone is welcome, even if you’ve gone to the Dark Side!
Dress up as your favourite Star Wars character and you’ll get into a show for free!
Monday 4 May
6.00pm – We are Aliens
7.00pm & 8.00pm – The Autumn Night Sky (presented by a Stardome Jedi Master)
Adults - $10, children - $8, Star Wars characters - free
Call us on 09 624 1246 to book a seat.
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A Special Stardome Mother's Day
We love our Mums as much as we love the stars, so on Mother's Day all Mums get in free.
Show your Mum that she means the world to you by bringing her along to Stardome where she can relax in the reclining seats and gaze up at the 360-degree dome and watch a planetarium film.
Sunday 10 May
Get the full list of shows here andcall 09 624 1246 to book. One free mother per paying person.
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Win Cosmos Series on DVD!
World-renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is back on National Geographic Channel on SKY Television with a brand new talk show based on his popular podcast, StarTalk, Mondays9.30pm from April 27.
To celebrate, we have the complete season of Neil's Cosmos Series on DVD to give away. All you have to do is emailinfo@stardome.org.nzwith your name, address and favourite Neil quote to be in the draw. The winner will be drawn randomly on 29 May and informed by email.
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Coming Soon - Matariki Dawn
‘Matariki Dawn’ looks at cultural and astronomical aspects of this group of spectacular stars.
The 360-degree planetarium show includes Maori myths and stories about the formation of the Earth, the Moon and Maori New Year. Visitors can also see the stars of Matariki close up in the planetarium and find out why they appear at certain times of the year and not at others.
Show includes courtyard telescope viewing (weather permitting).
Show starts in June. Book your seats here or call us on 09 624 1246
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