Southern Stars Observers

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Southern Stars Observers

We are an independant group of amateur astronomers, with a passion for science and the Cosmos. Our fo We have many years of experience as science educators.

Our aim is to bring the wonders of the southern skies to you and your students. Based in Whangarei we are available to come to your school, group or school camp anywhere in Northland. Your students will get hands on experience looking through our telescopes, to view the wonders of our southern skies with their own eyes.

11/04/2026

Moonlit Galactic Kiwi and Scorpio defying upcoming storm clouds of cyclone Vaianu from my backyard today 11.4.12:17 am.
The moon was after rise below visibility.
I wish all a safe cyclone weekend
Sony a7iii, Tamron Lens 17-28 mm, 28 mm, f 2.8, 6400 ISO 10 sec., Sony Edge,PS 2026,Topaz De Noise

04/04/2026

Full Moon of 2.4.2026.
In the Northern Hemisphere it is called the Pink Moon when the moss flow or moss pink is blooming in pink colour. It symbolizes growth.
Alternatively it is named the Paschal Moon which determines the date of Easter
So I wish all a Happy and blessed Easter.
Sony a7iii, Tamron 18 - 300 mm, 300 mm,
f 6.3

18/03/2026

Rising Milkyway, the Galactic Emu with Southern Cross
I captured it at 17.3.2026 after a busy working day from my backyard.
Sony a7iii,Tamron Lens 17-28 mm, 24 mm,
F 2.8, 15 sec.,ISO 6400, Sony Edge,PS 2026

04/03/2026

Lunar Eclipse 3.3, 4.3.2026 from Whangarei Heads
I had a great clear night at my home and was able to image the whole sequence starting at 3.3. 10:53 pm NZDT with the partial phase. The total phase was to see at 4.3.from 12:04 am until 01:02 am and the partial phase ended at 2:17 am.
I was able to observe an occultation of a small star imaging it before (6th image) and after the occultation (7 th image).
Ioptron HAE29C, Sony a7iii on a Lunt 100 MT, f 7.1, 200 ISO, Raw image processed with Sone Edge Software and cropping and Noise reduction with PS 2026

01/03/2026

Moon and Jupiter with its moons above Mt.Manaia

From Friday 27.2.2026 11:32 pm until 28.2.2026 12:08 am I was imaging the crescent coloured Mineral Moon and Jupiter close with a line up of Ganymed, Europa,Io and Callisto with my Sony a7iii on my Lunt 100 MT and afterwards the Moon and Jupiter before and the Moon when setting behind Mt.Manaia.
The Jupiter at image with the Lunt 100 MT I have copied into the overexposed image with the Moons.The same I did later with the moon before setting behind Mt.Manaia.
Ioptron HAE29C, Lunt 100 MT f 7.1 with T connection to Sony a7iii; Sony a7iii on Tripod with Tamron 18-300 mm.

11/01/2026

Jupiter Opposition of 10.1.2026 at 11:37 pm with a rare Transit of Callisto and Io as seen at my backyard low in horizon app 26 Deg.just above the neighbour's house.
Ioptron AZ Pro,Astronz SCT 8i, ZWO 385 MC, 2000 frames stacked with AS2 and then cropped and processed in. Ps 2026.Registax did not give better results.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year 2026 and clear skies.
The Crescent Moon of New Year at 1:17 a.m was just above Mt.Manaia to see from my balcony.
Sony a7iii, Tamron 18-300 mm, f3.5-6.1, 300 mm, Raw processed in Sony Edge and PS 2026

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas to all with a surprise Santa Transit of the CaK Sun at 21.12.2025 with AR 4311-4317.This was the longest day of the year in New Zealand.
It was unusual Santa got only visible in the inverted image.
Ioptron HAE29C,Lunt 100MT, Lunt CaK B1200, ZWO ASI 174 MM,AS2,PS2026

18/12/2025

Likely Rocketburn from my Balcony in Whangarei Heads between 22:25 and 23:17.
A friend rang me and alerted me to a strange cloud he has never seen.I went to my balcony and saw that bright plume with a bright dot fading.I was quite excited to see it the first time. I observed it slow moving towards the Magellan Clouds and fading in brightness.It was seen by other astronomers in Whangarei. The top image is cropped and the first and brightest I took at 22:25 and the second with the Magellan Clouds at 22:36 when I started a timelapse until 23:17
I am wondering which Rocket or satellite was it.Some in FB thought the rocket was Ariane 62
Sony a7iii, Tamron 17-28 mm f2.8, 6400 ISO 10 sec.Raw processed with Sony Edge.Images light brightened and one image cropped in PS 2026

30/11/2025

Sun in Cak of 30.11.2025 with the highlight of a M 1.45 flare of AR 4294 with eruption I witnessed between 9:13 and 9:32 am in gaps within dense cloudcover.
The clearest image I got at 9.26 am.
It is the first time I could image in CaK such an eruption direct from the flare.
The solar disc I imaged at 8:56 am under good seeing condition just before the cloud cover got more dense.
Ioptron HAE29C AZ mode, Lunt 100 MT, Lunt CaK B1200,Baader Q Barlow 2.25x, ZWO ASI 174 MM, AS2,PS 2026

22/11/2025

Rising Orion Belt between Matariki and Sirius from my backyard in Taurikura, Whangarei Heads at 21.11.2025 11:51 pm.
The summer is coming.
Sony a7iii, Tamron Lens 17-28 mm, 28 mm, f 2.8, ISO 6400, 10 sec.,single Raw Image, Sony Edge, PS 2025

Address

Whangarei
0101

Website

http://www.sso.org.nz/

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