A New Dark Sky Experience Has Opened in Martinborough

Overview

Martinborough's status as a dark sky destination has been given a major boost, as a new astronomy centre opens its doors. Located ten minutes from the town centre at Ruakokoputuna, or an hour by train or car from the capital city, Star Field Tours will offer a premium dark sky experience in New Zealand.

Keen astronomer and astrophotographer John Whitby spent five years searching for the perfect site to build his observatories. The site in the hills behind Martinborough has pristine skies due to the exceptionally low light pollution aided by excellent topography and a dry climate.

At Star Field, visitors will be treated to an evening of stargazing with guides taking them on a journey through space and time. They will learn about the importance of constellations, the science of stars, looking closely at our Solar System, planets, and how to read the sky using celestial navigation.

Each tour runs for approximately 90 minutes. The two-part session includes a journey around the night sky using a laser pointer, and a closer look at deep sky objects in our Milky Way and far beyond through powerful telescopes.

The first Star Field Martinborough tour kicks off Friday 18 October, with tours operating Friday to Sunday and on weekdays by arrangement. For more information, visit starfield.nz.