Stardome Observatory
Visit Stardome Observatory day or night, rain or shine to experience the
wraparound sky and special effects of a planetarium. Each clear evening you may
also see planets, double stars, glowing gas nebulae, or lunar craters through
our telescopes.
We live in one of the few cities in the world that has an astronomical
observatory and a planetarium. The foresight of early local astronomers
has secured a position within Auckland's largest centrally located park area,
giving readily accessible dark skies.
In 1967 a bequest from Edith Winstone
Blackwell enabled the installation of a 50cm diameter Zeiss telescope – one
of the largest in the world available for public viewing. Thirty years later a
modern planetarium was added, allowing ‘virtual' night sky viewing
regardless of the weather.
Stardome Observatory can be found near the Manukau Road entrance of One Tree
Hill Domain, which is alongside Cornwall Park.
Together the parks have Maori
history, playgrounds, barbecues, walking tracks, a working farm, and one of the
very best views in Auckland.
Check out the Stardome Observatory
website for more information on shows,
programme and admission prices.
