Hunting the gegenschein
Hunting the gegenschein
Finding a gegenschein has become the astronomical equivalent of seeing a fairy tern, writes Ian Griffin.
Sky watch
A tour of the northern sky
A tour of the northern sky
It's an ideal time to head out after dark and explore the night sky.
Time to bid farewell to Mars and Matariki
Time to bid farewell to Mars and Matariki
Time's running out for stargazers to see Mars and Matariki, writes Ian Griffin.
A tale of three transits
A tale of three transits
Time's arrow rarely allows us to revisit the past and reflect on our heritage in light of experience. However, thanks to a chance cosmic resonance between planets, that's precisely what's going to happen this year.
Sky watch: Trio gather in the evening sky
Sky watch: Trio gather in the evening sky
Sunday night's a great chance to view the moon and planets Mars and Uranus, weather permitting, writes Ian Griffin.
Solstice approaches
Solstice approaches
It's nearly the summer solstice and there's a plethora of exciting events going on in the sky, writes Ian Griffin.
Chance to see comet in southern skies
Chance to see comet in southern skies
If sky gods are reading this column, I'm hoping they will look kindly upon Otago stargazers and give us cloud-free nights next weekend, writes Ian Griffin.
Mars a guide to finding Neptune
Mars a guide to finding Neptune
This week there's a rare opportunity for stargazers across our region to view Neptune, the outermost planet, when it appears close to Mars in the evening sky.
Full moon in Taurus
Full moon in Taurus
The moon is full on Friday night and should be a magnificent sight, Ian Griffin writes.
Plenty to look for in night sky
Plenty to look for in night sky
SKY WATCH: There's a lot going on in the sky at the moment, so if you are at a loose end over the next few nights head out for some stargazing, writes Ian Griffin.
Farewell, Scorpius
Farewell, Scorpius
With daylight increasing as we head towards the summer solstice in December, the familiar winter star patterns are disappearing into sunset's vivid glow, writes Ian Griffin.
ISS in sky over in blink of an eye
ISS in sky over in blink of an eye
SKY WATCH: There's a celestial treat in store for Oamaruvians on Saturday night - but be quick, writes Ian Griffin.
Orion a celestial wonderland
Orion a celestial wonderland
We live in an age in which tools are available that enable us to ''see'' some truly remarkable celestial vistas which would otherwise be invisible, writes Ian Griffin.
Chance to spot the seventh planet
Chance to spot the seventh planet
The moon was full yesterday, so for the next few nights, bright moonlight will wash out all but the brightest stars for most of the night.
Observing Venus
Observing Venus
SKY WATCH: If it's clear tonight, make a point to head out and catch a glimpse of Venus, which is outstandingly bright, writes Ian Griffin.
An extraordinary aurora
An extraordinary aurora
''Oh my goodness, it's so spooky, and it's moving. It's all over the sky and the colours, just wow, WOW!''
A sunset panorama
A sunset panorama
SKY WATCH: One of the joys of living in Portobello is watching the sun set behind hills on the other side of Otago Harbour, writes Ian Griffin.
Observing the Eagle Nebula
Observing the Eagle Nebula
A few weeks back I was allocated time to observe Mars, using one of the telescopes at the University of Canterbury's Mt John Observatory.
Moon, Venus in the evening sky
Moon, Venus in the evening sky
SKY WATCH: The middle weeks of August provide some of Ian Griffin's favourite commutes of the year.
The wonder of star trails
The wonder of star trails
Ever since becoming interested in astronomy, I have always enjoyed taking pictures of the night sky. You might think that astrophotography would be an enormously complicated hobby, but actually it...