Royal Astronomical Society of New ZealandLocal Astronomical Societies affiliated to the RASNZ |
For further information contact: the Secretary
Home page: Auckland Astronomical Society
The Auckland Astronomical Society was founded in 1922 and today has about 600 members. The Society meets at the Stardome Observatory in Auckland on the second Monday of each month (except January). There are additional meetings every Friday night offering a wide range of interesting talks and activities for our members. Regular star parties are held at a dark site for casual observing. Facilities available to members include an excellent borrowing library, rental telescopes and a monthly Journal of over 24 pages. A number of our members are volunteers at the Stardome; others are actively involved in astronomical research.
Auckland Astronomical Society, Inc.
P O Box 24-187
AUCKLAND 4, New Zealand
For further information contact the president: Ian Crumpton
Phone (03) 3425375.
Address: Old West Coast Rd, RD1, Christchurch.
Contact: Deborah Hambly
28 Seaview Road, Baylys Beach, RD 7 Dargaville 0377.
Phone: 09 439 1856 or mobile 0210 751 228
Secretary/Treasurer: Graham Jones,
139 Hokianga Road, Dargaville 0310
Phone: 09 438 8519, mobile 027 282 8333
This club is the newest astronomical club in New Zealand and the only West coast club North of Auckland. We are based at the Skydome Observatory, at Baylys Beach, near Dargaville, Northland and are blessed with beautifully dark skies and a council that has co-operated for the few lights in the vicinity to be fully cut off.
The observatory, with its rotating domed roof houses an equatorially mounted 14" Newtonian Reflector, with Argo Navis computer control. A refractor which has a SolarMax40 fitted for daytime use is piggy backed to the main scope.
Observatory tours and evening tours are available to the public on a daily basis, (reservations required), and groups and schools can be catered for. There is a range of accommodation options at Baylys Beach, including a self-contained unit on-site at the newly constructed "Star House".
Web site http://www.skydome.org.nz/
Skydome Observatory
28 Seaview Road, Baylys Beach
RD 7, Near Dargaville
New Zealand
Phone 09 439 1856
Mobile 0210 751 228
The Dunedin Astronomical Society is an association of amateur astronomers operating from the Beverly-Begg Observatory on Robin Hood Park in Dunedin. The observatory houses a Celesctron C14 on a Paramount mount. A number of cameras including an SBIG-ST7 are available for use with the system. The society owns a number of other telescopes (including the a very heavily used club built 18" telescope) and reference materials that are available to members. DAS has access to a farm cottage near Middlemarch for use by members as a dark sky site.
During winter months public sessions are held on Sunday nights starting at 7:30 pm. Education sessions for private groups may be made by arrangement through the education officer.
The Society meets on the first and third Tuesdays each month except January. Meetings start at 8pm and are held in the Observatory annex.
For further information contact:
Peter Jaquiery (President), phone 03 4640506, email Peter Jaquiery.
Secretary: David Jaquiery.
Ron Paine (Curator), phone: 03 453 4696, email: Ron Paine
Observatory: phone 03 4777683 (answer phone)
Postal Address: 15 Manchester Street, Levin 5510
The Foxton Beach Astronomy Society meets at 7.30pm on the first Thursday of every month (except January) at the Nelson Bartlett Observatory, Foxton Beach School. Visitors are welcome. We also hold regular star parties and an education program for all members to learn how to use our instruments and to increase general knowledge of the night sky.
For further information please contact
Ron Fisher
Phone 06 3686251
Email: Ron Fisher
For further information contact Chris Wilson
Email: Franklin
AS
Phone: 09 238 3422 Mob:021 156 8276
A Wellington based group operating the Gifford Observatory behind Wellington College. The group has a web site at Gifford Observatory, Wellington.
The Chair Person is Peter Graham
The treasurer is Duncan Hall to whom ordinary correspondence should be addressed at: 58A Messines Road, Karori, Wellington 6012. Email Duncan HallFor further information contact: Huon Chandler
The Hamilton Astronomical Society home page is at HAS
For further information contact: Carole Evans, Secretary phone
(07) 825 2737, or Ross Barnett, President.
The secretary can be reached by Email at secretary
Hamilton Astronomical Society Public Nights are held on the first and third Wednesday of the month excluding January. (7.30 pm or 8.30pm during Daylight Saving). These are held at the Hamilton Observatory adjacent to the Hamilton Zoo in Brymer Road.
Society Nights are the first Monday of the Month and Club Night (informal) on the Friday in the month closest to New Moon.We welcome people of all ages, although we ask that adults accompany those who are 14 years and younger. Special times may be arranged for interested groups from schools and other organisations. We generally hold two major events each year.
Meetings: 7:30pm (April-September) or 8:30pm (October-March), second Wednesday of the month.
Contacts:Email: contact@haweraobservatory.org.nz
Website: www.haweraobservatory.org.nz
email: Secretary HBAS
Website: Hawkes Bay Astronomical Society
Meetings are held the first Thursday of the month at Landcare Research, Milton/Halifax Streets, Nelson.
Star Parties are held once a month at the Atkinson Observatory, Princes Drive, Nelson.
For further information contact Paul Fisher Secretary +64 3 545 0785
Contact details for the society are:
President: Rodney Austin
53E Doralto Road
New Plymouth 4310
Ph: 06 753-4069
Observatory Director and
Acting Secretary: John Calcott
38 Govett Avenue
New Plymouth 4310
Ph: 06 753-9186
Treasurer: Michael Kruse
5c Bromley Place
New Plymouth 4310
Ph: 06 753-9743
Meetings (Club Night) are held at the Observatory on the third Saturday of the month starting at 7:30pm.
Public nights at the observatory are every Tuesday, except during Xmas and New Year; 8:30pm during Daylight Saving and 7:30pm during Standard Time. The Observatory is situated on the south end of Marsland Hill in central New Plymouth, above and behind St Mary's Pro-Cathedral. The car-park is accessed from Robe Street. There is a sign at the base of the access road that runs up past the Civil Defence Headquarters.
For further information contact the acting secretary John Calcott
For further information contact Barbara Ives
Contact: The Secretary Gail Hickey Email: Northland Ast Soc
The society web page is at http://www.northlandastronomy.org.nz.Phone: (03) 448 8215
For further information contact: Dr Barrie WillsPhone: (03) 434 8757
Email: North Otago Ast Soc
The Society has a small, active, membership, who meet on the first Monday of each month. Public nights are held at the observatory each Friday, weather permitting, during the first and last quarters of the Moon. However, the observatory is closed during the summer months.
Each September, the Society hosts the Stargazers' Getaway weekend gathering at Camp Iona, Herbert, 15 minutes south of Oamaru. A programme of speakers is arranged, but the emphasis is on an informal, relaxing, weekend, open to anyone with an interest in astronomy.
For further information, contact Hans Brienesse North Otago Ast SocThe Phoenix Astronomical Society is a dynamic and extremely active society based in Wellington and the Wairarapa. Since our formation in December 1997 our membership, drawn from throughout New Zealand, has grown to approximately 450. We have built the first of our recreational observatories near Carterton, and a second recreational observatory is in the planning stages as well as a top class research observatory. Our on-site clubroom provides facilities for meetings, social gatherings and a place to relax and warm-up in between a cold night's astronomical activities.
The primary aim of the society is to make astronomy accessible to everyone whatever their level of interest and knowledge. Our members range from absolute beginners to students, educators, telescope-makers, experts in electronics, optical systems, and various areas of research astronomy. We keep members informed of the latest astronomical information through our excellent newsletter and the Phoenix webpage, and at monthly meetings in Wellington, the Wairarapa, and the Hawkes Bay. We also produce an annual astronomical Almanac, and organise two annual functions - Stardate in January in the Hawkes Bay and the Winter Astrocamp in June in the Wairarapa. The latter informal gatherings allow amateur astronomers to share knowledge and ideas with one another in a relaxed atmosphere as well as mix with national and international speakers.
For further information contact: The Secretary, 32 Mountain Road, ROTORUA 3015
The Rotorua Astronomical Society is a small group, meeting on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30pm. The venue is Wohlmann House in Hinemoa Street. Meetings take the usual form, an address by a member or invited speaker, with discussion of the latest astronomical events. Visitors are always welcome.
A very informative monthly newsletter is also published by the society, with many of the articles taken from the internet.
The Society has established an observatory near the Green Lake, on the way to Tarawera. The telescope in use is a 200mm Schmidt-Casegrain reflector. Some of the members have telescopes of their own, ranging in size from 60mm refractors, to 300mm reflectors. There are no regular observatory nights, and it is advisable to contact a member of the committee to make suitable arrangements.
There is a strong interest in educational astronomy and members periodically visit schools and other organisations, with astronomical equipment to supplement classroom lessons and show a practical perspective.
Email Secretary SAS.
Southland Astronomical Society Website Southland Astronomical Society
The Southland Astronomical Society is the southern-most society in the world. Formed in 1961, it is a small but strong group of about 50 members.
Meeting nights are the first Thursday of each month at 8 pm from February to December at:
Hearing Association RoomsMeetings have varied formats, talks by members or guest speakers, slide or quiz evenings, practical demonstrations or instruction and lots of discussions of many different topics.
126 Leet Street
Invercargill
A group of members operates the public Observatory during the winter months (April to end of September) on Wednesday evenings, 7 - 9 pm. It is opened on other evenings for school and other groups by arrangement (contact the Museum).
The society publishes a small monthly newsletter. It has a number of small telescopes available for loan to members.
For further information contact: Lloyd Esler (secretary)
President : George Stewart : geo_dorothy@wave.co.nz
Newsletter Editor: Andrew Walker.
For further information contact: Ursula Macfarlane
The Tauranga Astronomical Society was formed in 2002.President: Ross Skilton
RD4, WANGANUI 4574
Phone: 06 345 9654
Secretary: Mark Lee
Phone: 06 344 2258 or 02 7457 9615
167c Parsons Street, WANGANUI
Officers for 2009, with email contacts, are:
Gordon Hudson, President;
Roger Butland, Vice-President;
Ross Powell, General Secretary.
The Wellington Astronomical Society meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30, Science House, Turnbull Street in Thorndon. Meetings usually have topics presented by guest speakers, and are followed with a light supper. We have regular observing nights at the Gifford Observatory behind Wellington College and at our observatory in Pauatahanui. The Society itself is full of enthusiastic astronomers, both professional and amateur, and aims to provide a wide range of activities for our very diverse membership.
More information can be found on the Wellington Astronomical Society web site: Wellington Astronomical Society web pageVisit the Whakatane society web site at http://www.skyofplenty.com.
Public nights are held on Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the year, weather permitting, at 7:30 pm, or earlier by arrangement. Bookings are welcome for other nights from School classes, and other groups of six or more, starting times from 5:30pm or half an hour after sunset during the summer. The observatory is available all year round. Society meetings are on the second Wednesday of each month, except January, at the observatory in Hurinui Avenue, off Hillcrest Road. All are welcome.
Telescopes:
350mm Celestron Schmidt Cassegrain
250mm Meade Schmidt Cassegrain with Goto Control. This instrument is on indefinite loan to our Society.
150mm refractor built by John Smith of Kawerau, fitted with a solar filter.
We are a small group with the aim of fostering interest in the night sky for young and old alike. No previous experience is necessary...just curiosity. We hold very irregular observing sessions using a 6" refractor when weather and mood suit. The group was formed in 2002 and has grown quickly and there are currently about 25-30 members on our books and we regularly get 12-20 or more to our sessions.
The latest event was a transit of Mercury BBQ and observing session overlooking the Hauraki Gulf from the hills above Coromandel town...a great evening with most spectacular eta Aquarids thrown in! (But clouds west of Auckland covered the transit at the last minute).
Anyone interested in joining us as a regular member or as a visitor passing through should contact Alastair Brickell by phone (07)-866-5343For further information contact: Ian Cooper
More information is available on the society web site.
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