Wairarapa Space Science Centre now open until Waitangi Weekend
January 31, 2023
A pop-up Space Science Centre in the old Post Office (old Video Ezy) – Cnr of Holloway and High Street, 5713, Carterton, Wairarapa.
We look forward to seeing you here.
Daily from 10 AM to 6 PM, until Waitangi Day (last day).
The cosmic perspective:
After thinking deeply about how a scientist views the world, about what Earth looks like from space, and about the magnitude of cosmic age and of infinite space, all terrestrial thoughts change. Your brain recalibrates life's priorities and reassesses the actions one might take in response. No outlook on culture, society or civilisation remains untouched. In that state of mind, the world looks different. You are transported.
Our Space Science Centre is open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. During this time, you can visit our Free Dark Skies Exhibition Look after our night sky, or attend sessions in our interactive gallery
After hours we are off stargazing.
Stargaze with Hari and Sam at Star Safari, from our newest Dark Sky Reserve.
INTERACTIVE GALLERY
Admission to the interactive gallery is $5/person/session.
Learn about Mars, drive our Exo Mars rover, take a trip to the international space station with our VR headsets or go to the planetarium. Or do all of the above.
Come for a tour of the Universe in our planetarium. Learn about our Solar System, galaxies, aliens and other marvellous things out there,
Live shows with Hari or Sam.
Step into space with our Virtual Reality experience.
We have a 3d printed mini Mars Rover, which is designed by the European Space Agency.
Got a telescope for Christmas?
Is it scary? Can you collimate it? Do you know what eyepieces are best? Do you know where to look? Find out the answer to these questions and many more in our telescope course for people who already have a telescope.
BRING YOUR TELESCOPE ALONG!
Sessions: Tuesday 3rd, 10 and 17th of January 2023 at 4:30PM
Would you be thinking of buying a telescope?
This course is about all you need to know before deciding.
It’s also a good course to learn more about telescopes.
Sessions: Thursday 5th, 12th, 19 and 26th of January from 4:30 PM
The Navigators is a fully immersive planetarium show which tells the story of early navigation to Aotearoa through the eyes of budding navigator Moko. Running every day.
Contact us to book a time.
Come watch the movie Ngā Tohunga Whakatere with Haritina Mogoșanu, Wairarapa resident and the movie’s creative producer and concept lead.
The Navigators is a fully immersive planetarium show which tells the story of early navigation to Aotearoa through the eyes of budding navigator Moko. The movie is the culmination of many years of work for Haritina Mogoșanu, Executive Director of the New Zealand Astrobiology Network, who developed the concept. “The knowledge we have from studying the stars has made extraordinary achievements possible – not just scientific ones but also personal. So our message to our tamariki is; learn your science and be our explorers for the future.”
The production has been carefully crafted with tikanga, cultural and navigation knowledge. Pacific Master Navigator Jack Thatcher (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Awa) and Specialist Naval Navigator Commander David Hedgley, along with Pou Tikanga Joe Harawira (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Tuhourangi) and Tahitian advisor Ena Manuireva contributed to the success of the movie.
The project was supported by Lottery Tuia – Encounters 250 and The Lion Foundation. The movie was produced by Experience Wellington.
Please contact us to arrange a time.
A new space-focused pop-up exhibition in Wairarapa over the summer is the first of its kind in New Zealand.
Based on a family-friendly theme, the Wairarapa Space Science Centre will offer people the chance to have several interactive experiences and learn more about what lies outside Earth’s realm and how humans interact with those vast expanses.
Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmāki nui-a-Rua Settlement Trust generously provides the building that we are in.
Milky-Way.Kiwi is a social enterprise. Every social enterprise has a beneficial goal, ours is to inspire people to think about our collective future and how they can actively contribute to it. We believe that quality science education with an added cosmic perspective can achieve that. Our profits support the New Zealand Astrobiology Network.
Phoenix Astronomical Society has generously provided funds for the portable Master Display - Look after our night sky and the creation of a dark sky exhibition in anticipation of Wairarapa becoming a dark sky reserve.
Special thanks to Bunnings who provided essential materials to build the exhibition.
Jack Newman - electrician
Murray Griffin - FL42 SEALING for amazing cleaning of a daunting building.
James - Lots of Pots - Masterton for the beautiful blue pots on the entrance
Ellen Kerssens - for the fabulous theatrical setups throughout the exhibition spaces.
Jacinda Johnston
Chrissy Cummings
Haritoa Waaka
Gayle Page - Suite 22 AirBNB
John Dow
Carterton District Council
Destination Wairarapa
Wellington NZ
The Gold Awards
Learn about space, the Universe and everyting.
The interactive gallery sessions include a planetarium show, VR headsets and Mars rovers, they last one hour and are $5 / visitor.
Our Look After Our Night Sky exhibition is FREE