Guided stargazing experiences
Discover the people, places and experiences helping visitors connect with the night sky across the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve.
Why Choose a Guided Experience?
See More Through Telescopes
The larger the telescope, the more objects you can see. Telescopes act like enormous light buckets, collecting the faint light of distant planets, nebulae, star clusters and galaxies.
Learn From Experienced Guides
Local stargazing guides know the sky through experience. Every landscape has its own horizons, weather patterns, stories and viewing locations.
Be safe at night
Guided experiences remove the guesswork, helping visitors find suitable viewing locations, understand local conditions and enjoy the night sky with confidence.
Explore Guided Experiences
Observatory Experience
Star Safari
Located on Ponatahi Road between Martinborough, Greytown and Carterton, Star Safari Observatory operates beneath some of the darkest accessible skies in the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve. Visitors can explore the night sky through a collection of large telescopes while learning about astronomy, space science and the stories of the universe.
Public sessions, private experiences and group visits are available throughout the year. Young people aged under 16 attend free with a paying adult.
Best for:
Visitors
Families
Tourists
Private experiences
MOBILE STARGAZING
Under the Stars
A mobile astronomy experience operating throughout the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve. Sessions are delivered at accommodation providers, private properties and selected locations across the region.
Best for:
Accommodation guests
Private groups
Mobile experiences
COMMUNITY ASTRONOMY
The Phoenix Astronomical Society
Based at Taratahi Hall in Carterton, The Phoenix Astronomical Society brings together astronomy enthusiasts from across the Wellington and Wairarapa regions. The society hosts regular meetings, guest speakers, observing sessions and public outreach activities throughout the year.
Members can access the society’s observatories, participate in observing programmes and connect with a community of people passionate about astronomy and space science.
Best for:
Community
Learning
Long-term involvement
Not Sure Where To Start?
The Bortle Scale
Learn how stargazers measure darkness and discover what makes Wairarapa one of New Zealand’s darkest regions.
Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve
Discover the story, landscapes and communities that make up one of only two International Dark Sky Reserves in New Zealand.
Stargazing Guide
New to stargazing? Learn how to prepare for a night with the stars, what to bring and what you can expect to see.