AJames
05-02-2008, 08:01 AM
Kia ora,
To all our Fellow NZ'ers Across the Pond...
1) I noticed during the Australia Day posts that the New Zealand's National Day, known now as "Waitangi Day", is on tomorrow. Of all times I've been to New Zealand, I've never been there at this time of year.
I know that this is now considered the National Day, which has changed time and date over the years. The day celebrates the signing of the Waitangi Treaty between the British white settlers and the Maori in the Bay of Islands in 1840.
Question: How do New Zealanders really celebrate this day, what do you do, and what is appropriate to say towards your Nationalistic celebrations?
2) I just heard the really bad news today regarding the Closure of the Carter Observatory - the National Observatory in windy/hilly Wellington. According to the nzastronomers site;
"As from tomorrow [4th February] Carter Observatory will have no people with astronomy knowledge as the last 3 staff leave then (the rest went before Xmas)."
How sad for New Zealand astronomers. :sadeyes: The observatory history can be read at;
(See http://www.carterobservatory.net/public/history.php)
For those who don't know, the present buildings as a functioning astronomical site has been since since December 1941, but the site has had various observatories of the years, that has been used for astronomical observations in Wellington's Botanical Gardens since about 1869. This site is accessible by railcar, which rises out of the main street in Wellington city, and rises at nearly 45 degrees up to the observatory - saving a difficult walk. It was also the home of the Wellington Astronomical Society for many years - a great bunch of fun amateur astros.
I can still recall spending several hours over the years observing using the excellent refractor with a weight driven drive. One specific memory is especially of one little boy and his dad during one of the public nights, who when after looking at Alpha Centauri was literally star-struck with awe and amazement. It remains one of my main highlights that I have experienced as an amateur astronomer.
I only hope that the Wellington Council al least supports some form of astronomy on this site, and that the observatory site continues to be used for something appropriate.
Best Wishes,
Andrew
Note: I feel that it would be proper with the near confluence of these two events is embraced as a suitable memory within the Maori word Kāheru, which is a kind of spade used for the working of the soil - I think appropriately remembering the place of Carter in the botanical gardens and the number of observatories that have stood there. It is also the word for the chaplet of leaves that is worn by the Maori during mourning.
To all our Fellow NZ'ers Across the Pond...
1) I noticed during the Australia Day posts that the New Zealand's National Day, known now as "Waitangi Day", is on tomorrow. Of all times I've been to New Zealand, I've never been there at this time of year.
I know that this is now considered the National Day, which has changed time and date over the years. The day celebrates the signing of the Waitangi Treaty between the British white settlers and the Maori in the Bay of Islands in 1840.
Question: How do New Zealanders really celebrate this day, what do you do, and what is appropriate to say towards your Nationalistic celebrations?
2) I just heard the really bad news today regarding the Closure of the Carter Observatory - the National Observatory in windy/hilly Wellington. According to the nzastronomers site;
"As from tomorrow [4th February] Carter Observatory will have no people with astronomy knowledge as the last 3 staff leave then (the rest went before Xmas)."
How sad for New Zealand astronomers. :sadeyes: The observatory history can be read at;
(See http://www.carterobservatory.net/public/history.php)
For those who don't know, the present buildings as a functioning astronomical site has been since since December 1941, but the site has had various observatories of the years, that has been used for astronomical observations in Wellington's Botanical Gardens since about 1869. This site is accessible by railcar, which rises out of the main street in Wellington city, and rises at nearly 45 degrees up to the observatory - saving a difficult walk. It was also the home of the Wellington Astronomical Society for many years - a great bunch of fun amateur astros.
I can still recall spending several hours over the years observing using the excellent refractor with a weight driven drive. One specific memory is especially of one little boy and his dad during one of the public nights, who when after looking at Alpha Centauri was literally star-struck with awe and amazement. It remains one of my main highlights that I have experienced as an amateur astronomer.
I only hope that the Wellington Council al least supports some form of astronomy on this site, and that the observatory site continues to be used for something appropriate.
Best Wishes,
Andrew
Note: I feel that it would be proper with the near confluence of these two events is embraced as a suitable memory within the Maori word Kāheru, which is a kind of spade used for the working of the soil - I think appropriately remembering the place of Carter in the botanical gardens and the number of observatories that have stood there. It is also the word for the chaplet of leaves that is worn by the Maori during mourning.