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Old 28-03-2016, 11:52 PM
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Astronomy holiday to New Zealand ?

The latest years I traveled to Western Cape, South Africa every February and the sky is excellent there. Now we consider New Zealand next Feb as it should be a beautiful country. Again, I want to bring my travel scope and AP stuff but how is the weather there in Feb in the sense of cloudiness ? I do not expect as good as the Western Cape in summer, but I expect that the Northern Island is better than the Southern.

Raw data is not difficult to find. I found this:

http://xjubier.free....pseWeather.html

and found that in Feb indeed Western Cape is one of the best places in the world, beside inner Australia and Atacama desert.

But I want to know experience from observers.

Are there any New Zealanders who can tell me more about conditions for observing and astrophotography ?

BTW, Australia can be an option for us as well.
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Old 29-03-2016, 06:22 PM
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ZeroID (Brent)
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To put it bluntly NZ weather is variable all the time. We have to put up with your leftovers drifting across the Tasman.
Feburary - March is most stable but I'd suggest the South Island around Lake Tekapo as your best location. It's the only Gold Certified Dark Sky site in the world I think.
Google Mt John Observatory and you'll find out plenty. Only problem is it's miles from anywhere and accommodation will be expensive as you'll be in high season for holiday goers.

A few handy links for you.

http://www.tekapotourism.co.nz/info/mt_john.html

http://www.mtcooknz.com/mackenzie/pr...=earth-and-sky
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Old 29-03-2016, 07:22 PM
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Somnium (Aidan)
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if you get a chance, you should go to Uluru during a new moon, a better sky in the world i would challenge you to find !
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Old 29-03-2016, 09:30 PM
N1 (Mirko)
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Leave it until March or later if you can, for longer nights, especially if you go south. Weather is more settled in Autumn too and still nice enough to do the tourist thing. Nowhere in NZ will have good astro weather guaranteed. Seeing is good less often than in Australia. Agree with Brent, Central South Island is best for Astro. Either the MacKenzie Basin or Central Otago with a slight advantage for the former. Uluru has great skies but no Aurora. In OZ you'll find pristine skies in many areas but have to travel far to get to them. In NZ it's less travel but lower chance of good astro weather. Take your pick.
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Old 31-03-2016, 09:41 PM
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I would second Lake Tekapo / Mt John Observatory. I only got to spend one night there in March this year, and was lucky to have a clear sky. Fantastic pristine skies, as I said in an earlier post, you can almost see your own shadow in the light from the milky way - true!

Clear skies
Rod
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Old 01-04-2016, 08:46 AM
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You camping or motelling or vanning or rental car ?
I'd suggest Peppers at Tekapo as a Motel option, nice apartments. Handy to the wee village and pub\restaurants.
Be aware it caters mainly to Asian bus tourists passing through so a number of restaurants are that way inclined. But anywhere in that McKenzie region you can get accom would still be good. No bright lights for miles.
For that matter anywhere in the Sth Island is pretty good for dark skies and pretty safe as well. No snakes, nasty spiders, crocs, drop bears to deal with. Maybe a few sandflies near the lakes. If you can bring a grab and go scope, 80f5 or something youll still see heaps.
The Ob night tours at Tekapo can be expensive and I don't know how much you'd really see but a pair of bins or small scope and you're made.

Direct flight to Christchurch is your best bet, grab a rental and drive. All good roads, no sand or deserts.
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Old 17-09-2016, 12:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroID View Post
You camping or motelling or vanning or rental car ?
I'd suggest Peppers at Tekapo as a Motel option, nice apartments. Handy to the wee village and pub\restaurants.
If you can bring a grab and go scope, 80f5 or something youll still see heaps.

Direct flight to Christchurch is your best bet, grab a rental and drive. All good roads, no sand or deserts.
Still considering ...

80f5 is a good option, but I have ED110f7 as a travel scope which works well for me (the 50cm long tube fits in carry-on).
I thought that the South Island is more cloudy than the North. I'd like to see the volcanoes as well which are on the North Island. Anyway, air tickets to AKL or CHC (preferably AKL) are no big deal, the cheapest from the EU to NZ are with the best airlines (Emirates, Singaporeair).
And my idea is to rent a car and Airbnb-ing as I don't like motels (unless they are really nice).
But still not sure, South Africa is still another option due to the nice and wide landscape and scenery, the nice weather in late summer and the exceptional amount of clear (really clear and dark) nights.
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Old 17-09-2016, 01:32 AM
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if you prefer North Island consider spending some time in Coromandel, too.
maybe contact these guys here for bed, breakfast and stargazing.
http://www.newzealand.com/us/plan/bu...and-breakfast/
edit: no, this isn't the one I wanted to suggest..... there is another hostel/B&B with an obs much closer to the coast... but you wouldn't need that Obs, would you. So just have a look at Coromandel in general
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Old 17-09-2016, 07:47 PM
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I'd say to avoid Tekapo unless you don't mind paying $$ unless you go down to the canal areas with your own gear. The Mt John night tour is expensive and we'll show you just as much for free in and around Dunedin. We have some excellent dark sky locations and cheaper digs than Tekapo for sure.
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Old 19-09-2016, 12:47 AM
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OP have been to the South Island several times I'd also agree you should avoid Tekapo.

A few years ago I stayed at the Hermitage at Mt Cook and found they have regular stargazing at the local airstrip a few km from the hotel, out in the valley well away from all lights - and they have a 12" dob you can use. Or BYO gear, up to you.

IMHO it was the darkest site I've ever observed from - the gegenshein can be seen and that's really rare these days. Also possible to get a photo from a compact camera, for example https://www.dpreview.com/galleries/7...06188/p1010566

Pretty much anywhere in central Otago will do too, but don't think about heading for peaks, you'll have to make do with being in a valley, unless your mad enough to backpack your gear to key summit on the routeburn track.
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Old 21-09-2016, 11:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skysurfer View Post
The latest years I traveled to Western Cape, South Africa every February and the sky is excellent there. Now we consider New Zealand next Feb as it should be a beautiful country. Again, I want to bring my travel scope and AP stuff but how is the weather there in Feb in the sense of cloudiness ? I do not expect as good as the Western Cape in summer...

and found that in Feb indeed Western Cape is one of the best places in the world, beside inner Australia and Atacama desert.
To be honest, if it is just the astronomy you're after, go to Western Cape and know what you are getting Skysurfer. As has been said, the weather is unpredictable all over and yes, better up north.

It is a beautiful country I guess, mountains and lakes etc but you can get that in most countries eh!

However, if you and the Mrs do find yourself enticed by Hobbits and scenery, then come to Otago and we'll (me and N1) arrange a night or two with scopes and good company, free, under crystal clear sky...

Stu
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Old 22-09-2016, 04:32 AM
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To be honest, if it is just the astronomy you're after, go to Western Cape and know what you are getting Skysurfer. As has been said, the weather is unpredictable all over and yes, better up north.
Indeed, for astronomy only, Western Cape is better, but I went to it the past 3 summers and we want to see something else. And I'd like to see the volcanoes and the nice North Island, but I'll bring my telescope anyway.

We just booked, fly Emirates with the longest nonstop flight Dubai-Auckland.
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Old 22-09-2016, 06:05 AM
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pixelsaurus (Mike)
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The weather is always unpredictable. You will hear the expression "4 seasons in 1 day", believe it. It is possible that this year and next may be cloudier and wetter than usual.
http://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/conten...4-infographics
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Old 22-09-2016, 08:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skysurfer View Post
Indeed, for astronomy only, Western Cape is better, but I went to it the past 3 summers and we want to see something else. And I'd like to see the volcanoes and the nice North Island, but I'll bring my telescope anyway.

We just booked, fly Emirates with the longest nonstop flight Dubai-Auckland.
What dates are you over here ?

You might have to 'green adapt' your eyes, everything grows here year round.
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Old 22-09-2016, 03:30 PM
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We go from 11 Feb to 10 March.

When is it really going that cloudy and rainy, I'll reconsider.
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Old 22-09-2016, 09:32 PM
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Nah, you'll be grand!
North Island is beautiful, civilized, interesting - and 4 seasons in one day have the advantage of a washed-clean atmosphere.
Here is a world light pollution map, currently centered on Coromandel.
For volcano hunting, Auckland is great, too.

My favourite city to live in was Wellington; (one of the) the dark sky location(s) there is Red Rocks where you might hit on a crowd learning Astrophotography from Mark Gee.

If you go to Welly, be sure to take Bus No. 14 from the city centre to Kilbirnie (and back) - it's a roller coaster of a bus ride up and around the steep cliffs .
And if you can spare the time, take a ferry to the South Island (and back). Just a day trip without your car. That ferry ride is one of the most stunning normal public transportation things I ever used. Breathtaking beauty spreads before your eyes when the ferry enters the sounds on the top of the S.I.
The bluest sea and the greenest steep hills you can imagine.
And when you get back, the view of pretty Wellington from the ferry gives you an idea of why it's really a privilege to be a Wellingtonian.

If you're not going to Welly but are staying in the Northern part of the North Island: your travel guide surely mentions the Kauri forests, Coromandel, Matamata and the geothermal Wonderland around Rotorua.... Dark skies are only ever 2 stone throws away. Check the map

A very good choice to spend time in NZ! You'll love it!
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Old 22-09-2016, 09:41 PM
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silv (Annette)
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oh, and the cloud cover over NZ never lasts that long.
It's not like Europe where often you don't see the sun for weeks, at all.
Especially not in late summer.
Maybe, you find a cloud cover prediction website for NZ. You'll be mobile, anyway, and near the east coast you'll always find a spot of clear skies, I'm sure.
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Old 23-09-2016, 11:28 AM
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ZeroID (Brent)
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Feb > March = summer.
In Auckland drive 1 hour south or 1 hour north and you'll get dark skies. Or west to the Waitakeres for pitch black skies looking over the Tasman. (Wave to the neighbours from the west island LOL) And black sand beaches with wild waves or the serene east coast white sand beaches.
And the clouds come and go ...
You'll be sweet as ....

Plans to travel around ? Tell us where you think you're going and we'll map you an trip to all the best spots.

And find you some real beer ..
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Old 23-09-2016, 07:07 PM
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Plans to travel around ? Tell us where you think you're going and we'll map you an trip to all the best spots.

And find you some real beer ..
Plans ? Mostly the North Island. Coromandel, the Volcanoes (e.g. Ruapehu), the wine area (like Western Cape, ZA) around Hastings, where it should be nice weather.
I'll bring my 11cm ED refractor and binos anyway. No problem with Emirates. I planned my trip with New Moon in the middle of my stay.
We will stay in AirBNB's as we don't like motels.

Are there amateur astronomers in the neighborhood ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by silv View Post
oh, and the cloud cover over NZ never lasts that long.
It's not like Europe where often you don't see the sun for weeks, at all.
Especially not in late summer.
Not completely true, look at this : https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather...ealand_2193733
Upcoming overcast days in AKL.....

Last edited by skysurfer; 23-09-2016 at 09:38 PM.
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Old 24-09-2016, 02:38 PM
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There are amateur astronomers in most neighbourhoods. Contact Auckland Observatory and someone should be able to get you connected.
stardome.org.nz
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