What’s On

Courtyard Telescopes

There is nothing like seeing a deep-space object, or one of the planets in our Solar System with your own eyes through a telescope. Viewing the rings of Saturn, the red fuzzy Mars or the shadowy craters on the Moon is an unforgettable experience for kids and adults alike.

The Stardome telescopes are out Wednesday-Sunday evening to both the public and those attending shows, subject to suitable sky conditions. Tuesday night telescopes are only available to those attending the show. The courtyard telescopes are operated by the experienced telescope team who can locate the gems deep in the night sky for you – beautiful stars, planets, star clusters and nebulae. Bring along your smartphone and take a photo of what you can see through the telescopes to share online – #astronomyrules! 

The courtyard telescope experience is complimentary after the 7pm, 8pm and 9pm shows during winter and autumn, and after the 8pm show in summer and spring. If you aren’t coming to the show, but would still like to experience the telescopes, entry is included with the normal Space Gallery fee. 

Don’t forget to wrap up in a warm coat, looking up at the stars and planets through telescopes can be very chilly, so we advise wearing warm clothes.

Space Gallery & Exhibits

Stardome’s space gallery & exhibits is an engaging experience to browse either before or after your planetarium show. 

• Learn more about the History of Spacecraft in the interactive toy brick display.
• Take a look at New Zealand’s most diverse display of meteorites including pieces of the Moon and Mars. .
• Find out how telescopes work.
• Check out the Space Tracker display and keep up with the latest space exploration missions. 
• Climb onto our weighing machine to find out how much you would weigh on other planets.
• Take a close look at the two replica NASA spacesuits and then take a photo as “Buzz” the astronaut.

Thank you to our supporters, Regional Facilities Auckland, Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board, Sir Po-shing Woo, the Lion Foundation, Foundation North and the Chisholm Whitney Family Trust for funding the development of the new displays

Zeiss Telescope

PLEASE NOTE: the Zeiss is undergoing a major upgrade and is currently out of action. Please check back for updates. We’re sorry for any inconvenience. 

For an extra special experience, take a closer look at some stunning deep space objects through Stardome’s largest telescope, the Zeiss, in the beautiful, historic observatory dome. Open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday subject to suitable sky conditions, for individuals and groups of up to 15 people.

On a clear night, you can expect to see four or five deep-space objects, accompanied by engaging commentary from a Stardome team member. An unforgettable experience for adults and children. This experience is best suited for those aged 8 and over.

Zeiss telescope viewings are available as an optional extra after evening planetarium shows for just $10 per person. Included in the ticket price is a special booklet about the history of telescopes at Stardome. Call the team on 09 624 1246 to add the Zeiss experience on to your trip to Stardome.

Make an enquiry

Do you have a question?

Please complete the contact form with as much information as you can and our friendly team will be in touch as soon as they can.