Big Sky Stargazing

01/09/2023

Did you know that September is an awesome time to join us on a stargazing tour. The nights are still long and dark with warmer spring temperatures. It's the most accessible time of year to see the Milky Way core (the centre of our home galaxy) as it will pass almost directly overhead shortly after nightfall, before slowly descending into the western sky throughout the course of the night.

📸 courtesy of one of our amazing astronomy guides .nti on IG

05/06/2023

When our team aren't guiding tours of the night sky, they're busy capturing it. In winter the centre of our Milky Way galaxy, the brightest part of our Milky Way will be visible during all our stargazing tours.

Here, resident astronomer captured the rising of the Milky Way above the Burnett Mountains. As it gets dark the centre of our Milky Way galaxy starts to shine.

18/05/2023

The views at night are just as spectacular as they are during the day in Aoraki/Mount Cook. Join us for some winter stargazing and explore the night sky with our resident astronomers.

18/04/2023

Did you know that we have an indoor 360-degree digital dome planetarium at in Aoraki/Mount Cook? So, rain, hail or shine, you can still immerse yourself in the wonders of the night sky, and take a journey through the Milky Way from the comfort of your seat.

31/03/2023

At Big Sky Stargazing base this week the team were treated to a stunning light show courtesy of the Aurora Australis. Our resident astronomer caught it all on camera. 😍😍

23/03/2023

As the seasons change here in Aoraki/Mount Cook, so do our times for our Stargazing tours. Our daily trips will now depart at 9.30pm and 11.30pm.

Located in the largest Gold Status Dark Sky Reserve, and nestled among the mountains, our Star Base uses red light exclusively to minimise our impact on the night sky. Join us and our expert guides for a journey through the cosmos.

📸

12/01/2023

Who else agrees?!

Check out this article from nzherald.co.nz 'NZ’s best places for stargazing and sleeping under the stars'. https://bit.ly/3X0PhXo

Of course the Mackenzie Region is included with our famous Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, home to "some of the world’s clearest, most spectacular night skies."

Here are a few options for a stargazing experience here in the Mackenzie:

• Private astronomy & astrophotography with Alpha CruX - Stargazing & Astrophotography
• Family-friendly tours with hot chocolate & marshmallows by the fire with Chameleon Stargazing
• Stargaze amongst mountains in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park with Big Sky Stargazing (or if bad weather then inside New Zealand’s first 360-degree digital Dome Planetarium)
• Lake Tekapo's Dark Sky Project focuses on Māori astronomy and its significance to planting, lunar cycles, and navigation. They also offer tours from the University of Canterbury’s astronomy research facility at Mt John Observatory.

More info here: https://www.mackenzienz.com/explore/stargazing-and-astrophotography/

📸 = Big Sky Stargazing

08/12/2022

We operate our tours year-round, so long as the weather is in our favour! The times of our tours vary depending on the season and content is crafted based on the time of the month and what's happening in the night sky at that time. One question we get is, 'what can you see through the telescope on a full moon?' Our answer is - so much! We can get some incredible visuals of the moon and the craters within it, global star clusters, open star clusters, and currently planets like Jupiter and Saturn - although the planets are not always in our night sky.

07/12/2022

Let's put those new navigation skills to the test! Who knows which direction's south?!

01/12/2022

Still searching for the perfect Christmas gift?

Don't worry, we've found it for you. Surprise your loved ones with a gift card for a Big Sky Stargazing, Mt Cook tour! Nothing says 'I'm thinking of you' more than gifting a unique and magical experience spent under the stars, in the world's largest gold tier dark sky reserve.

The Hermitage Hotel, Aoraki/Mount Cook offer a range of accommodation packages, dining experiences and activities in Aoraki/Mount Cook. Contact our friendly Reservations Team to purchase your gift voucher today.

30/11/2022

Have you witnessed the aurora? This photo was taken on one of our Big Sky Stargazing tours last month by our resident astronomer .

What is the Aurora Australis? "The Aurora australis (also known as the southern lights, and southern polar lights) is the southern hemisphere counterpart to the aurora borealis. In the sky, an aurora australis takes the shape of a curtain of light, or a sheet, or a diffuse glow; it most often is green, sometimes red, and occasionally other colors too." - www.universetoday.com

24/11/2022

Can you locate the Southern Cross? Can you navigate south? We know sometimes it's hard to remember facts from our tours, so here's a really helpful resource we found from Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

There are three ways to locate due south using the Southern Cross: 1. Draw an imaginary line from the top of the cross to the bottom and extend it 4.5 times. Drop a vertical line from this point, which is the South Celestial Pole (SCP), to the horizon – that place is due south.