From 12–18 September 2025, Carterton was host of the Carterton Space Week, a full programme of talks, workshops, films, and school activities as part of World Space Week — the largest international celebration of space. This year’s global theme, Living in Space, invited us to explore what it means for humanity not only to venture beyond Earth but also to thrive there. The event attracted over 500 people during the Carterton Space Week in 2025.
The week brought together world-class speakers, local experts, universities, and international partners, alongside community-driven events for families, schools, and businesses. Highlights include:
- Urlar Business Connect event – About 30 business-owners from Carterton connected to kick start the Carterton Space Week 2025, thanks to the fabulous hospitality of Urlar Winery
- Water Rocket Challenge and solar telescope viewing at Carrington Park — hands-on science for all ages. Despite the rain, this year we had about 30 rocket enthusiasts who came to Carrington Park, alongside the Phoenix Astronomical Society, to help launch water rockets back to the clouds.
- Astrophotography Workshop at the Courthouse. This was a fantastic event, with about 27 people in attendance, who listened and asked questions. The event was run by expert astrophotographers from The Phoenix Astronomical Society: Paul Mallinson, Ian Cooper and Geoff Palmer.
- Space Careers Day at the Events Centre — with Victoria University of Wellington, Robinson’s Institute, Massey University, the NZ Space Agency, Milky-Way.Kiwi, the US Embassy, and the Wairarapa Aeroclub. About 50 students from around Wairarapa visited the stands and talked to 13 professionals from the space and aeronautics career fields.
- Large-screen cosmic talk with Sam Leske and Haritina Mogoșanu — a journey through astrophysics and the future of living in space. We were thrilled to see a packed house at the Carterton Event Centre, with about 100 people in attendance for this talk.
- Mars Blueberry Planetarium shows — tailored for schools, sparking curiosity about the solar system. About 150 students from Carterton School, South End School, and the Wairarapa home-school community visited the Mars Blueberry Planetarium for FREE over two days. They asked a space scientist questions about space.
- The Wai Art Kids competition, which was well attended, with some excellent drawings from our Wairarapa students, being showcased at teh Wai Art Show in Carterton.
- Film screening of Good Night Oppy — introduced by NASA Mars Scientist Dr Mitch Schulte. Approximately 90 people attended the Good Night Oppy movie
- Good Night Wairarapa — the closing address with Professor Emeritus Philippa Gander, connecting the science of sleep and circadian rhythms to the Dark Sky Reserve and the human future in space, had 25 people in attendance.
Carterton Space Week is organised by Go Carterton, in collaboration with local partners and international supporters including the United States Mission. It is a celebration of the Wairarapa’s unique position in the Dark Sky Reserve, where our night skies connect us to global conversations in science, sustainability, and community.
In 2025, we were supported by the Carterton District Council and the Trust House, whose generosity made the week possible. A fantastic outcome of this year’s events was our recognition by the Lonely Planet guide as a go-to event in Wairarapa. In an exciting boost for our region, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026 guide named the Wairarapa one of the world’s top destinations — highlighting our dark skies, stargazing experiences, and vibrant space community. As part of this recognition, Carterton Space Week was noted as one of the standout events that showcase the region’s innovation, science outreach, and connection to the night sky. This acknowledgement places our local efforts on an international stage and reinforces the Wairarapa as a place where world-leading space science, education, and community celebration come together.
Whether you ’re a student dreaming of a career in space, a family looking for fun science activities, a business exploring new opportunities, or simply someone who looks up at the night sky in wonder — Carterton Space Week 2025 had something for you.
