When the sun sets on Monday night, the waxing crescent moon will stand some 15 degrees above the northwestern horizon, presenting a beautiful sight as the sky darkens.
Early rising stargazers are in for a real treat this week. If the weather gods co-operate and if you can find a spot with an unobstructed view towards the horizon, you will get to enjoy a gathering...
The moon reaches last quarter on Thursday morning. Earth’s natural satellite will be in the constellation Sagittarius, rising just after 1am. The hour or so before dawn is the best time to head out...
The constellation Leo's appearance low in the northern evening sky tells us that autumn isn't too far away.
Last weekend I visited the University of Canterbury’s Mt John Observatory. I had been granted time on one of the telescopes during the darkest nights of the month.
The moon reaches its last quarter phase on January 26. To see our closest celestial neighbour this week, you will therefore have to stay up well past midnight when it clears the horizon.
The first full moon of 2022 occurs at 12.48pm on Tuesday.
If things go well this week, the sky gods will reward stargazers with a brilliant celestial Christmas present; a naked eye comet!
For Ian Griffin, one of the real signs of the arrival of summer is the magnificent sight of Orion rising in the eastern sky after sunset.
Stargazers are in for a treat after sunset on Tuesday.
This week Ian Griffin would like to encourage you to join him on a hunt for a remarkable spiral galaxy.
Tonight the earth passes almost directly between the sun and the moon, creating an event that astronomers call a lunar eclipse.
This week I would like to encourage you to head out after sunset and explore some of the constellations on show in the northern sky. The moon was new yesterday morning which means its light will...
With the new moon occurring on Friday morning Ian Griffin hopes to enjoy some wonderful views of the heavens in a sky devoid of moonlight.
Since its launch in 1998, the International space station (ISS) has become a familiar sight. Many have seen it as a very bright “star” slowly crossing the sky in the hours after sunset or before...
The moon is full at 3.57am on Thursday in Dunedin. It rises the previous evening at 7.38pm just to the north of east. It should be a beautiful sight opposite the setting sun as the sky darkens.
Ian Griffin's capturing the daily motion of the sun using analogue photography.
When the moon is very low in the sky, atmospheric refraction distorts its shape and colour. Oceanic moonrises are certainly worthy of attention, writes Ian Griffin.
Usually, when working, my habit at lunchtime is to grab a sandwich from the fine selection at the museum cafe. If the weather is nice I wander outside to find a sunny spot in the reserve where I can spend a few minutes to relax and top up my tan, writes Ian Griffin.
You really cannot miss Venus after sunset at the moment. If the sky is clear, the planet is visible as an incredibly bright white "star" high in the western sky as darkness falls.
