Sky watch

A tale of two asteroids

In 1998, I was working at a science centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida. To a space nut like me, witnessing launches from the Kennedy Space Center was a real thrill.

A parade of naked-eye planets

As the sun rises on November 12, skywatchers across NZ will view a tiny black dot transiting the face of our nearest star.That's Mercury.

Moon approaches Saturn

One of the hardest things to do when starting in astronomy is learning what is up in the sky.

A stunning island universe

Grab your binoculars to view a beautiful island universe on the next clear night.

Hunting the gegenschein

Finding a gegenschein has become the astronomical equivalent of seeing a fairy tern, writes Ian Griffin.

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's running out for stargazers to see Mars and Matariki, writes Ian Griffin.

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

Sunday night's a great chance to view the moon and planets Mars and Uranus, weather permitting, writes Ian Griffin.

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

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

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

The moon is full on Friday night and should be a magnificent sight, Ian Griffin writes.

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

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

SKY WATCH: There's a celestial treat in store for Oamaruvians on Saturday night - but be quick, writes Ian Griffin.

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.