skywatch

The celestial pairing of a waning crescent moon and Matariki on Friday will make for a beautiful sight and is well worth getting up early for, writes Ian Griffin.

The solstices are always a time for celebration in Ian Griffin's household because they mark both the beginning and the end of his latest "crop" of solargraphs.

Since moving to Dunedin in 2013, Ian Griffin's witnessed hundreds of auroral displays.

Winter is Ian Griffin's favourite time of year. The long nights allow ample time for stargazing, and with the centre of the Milky Way passing almost overhead at midnight, some of the finest sights in the heavens can be seen.

A rare, green comet will become visible in our northern sky from the end of next week. The last time it passed through our part of the solar system was 50,000 years ago.

Ian Griffin's keeping his fingers crossed that the clouds stay away on Thursday when Mars will be at its brightest and at its closest point to Earth.