update fromthe Oxford Observatory

by Beka Hunt

It’s full steam ahead in the Oxford Observatory as we head into the long nights of winter. This year, the Observatory is hosting a wide range of new courses alongside the popular open nights. The establishment has a mission; to provide science education for our youth and communities. Organiser Raul Elias-Drago stresses that their aim is to make astronomy accessible for all ages and to cultivate an interest in our Universe. One new venture to achieve this is the addition of open mornings to the schedule. Whilst the Observatory will continue holding its regular open nights (with the first being on the 14th of April), the team is hopeful that the introduction of open mornings will accommodate those unable to attend Friday evenings.These events also provide a chance to focus on Matariki and Māori starlore, as it’s an important part of our culture in New Zealand that will be visible through winter. “If you look atthe Maori [creation story], the separation of Ranginui from Papatūānuku is so intimately tied to the stars. We’re really looking forward to talking about it and developing an idea of the significance of the constellations.” A typical open night begins with exploration through the telescope, looking closely at multiple different phenomena.

The group is then invited outside where a guide points out constellations with a laser. In the near future, Raul hopes to project relevant photographs onto the inside of the Observatory so that participants can see what the camera captures in contrast to the naked eye. These open nights have two time slots available for booking; 7.30pm and 8.30pm. The early morning sessions are dependent on the sunrise so will be scheduled accordingly and bookings are essential as the Observatory can only seat a certain number of stargazers in one go.

The morning openings aren’t the only new venture at the Observatory. This year it will begin hosting an exciting array of practical workshops run by enthusiastic local volunteers. A new ‘How to Build Your Own Telescope’ workshop teaches the basics of 3D printing and the intricacies of telescope creation. In ‘Astrophotography’, you are given the chance to capture and edit pictures of the night sky or, if it takes your fancy, you can peer safely at the sun in the ‘Solar Observation’ workshop.

The Observatory also offers the opportunity to take a closer look at the Moon, Saturn and Mars in ‘the Moon’ and ‘the Planets’ workshops. If you're hoping for a more in depth look at Astronomy and Cosmology, Erik Vermat will cover the big picture in his online course, ‘Exploring the Universe’. On the 9th of May, those enrolled will begin with the 7 week topic titled ‘leaving the solar system’- the first of 3 overlapping courses.

The next two, ‘Exploring the Milky Way’ and ‘Going Deep’ are also 7 weeks long, and follow a School term timetable. Each subject builds on the next, bringing a deeper understanding of the universe that we live in. Erik has been developing these lessons since 2017 and built his own dedicated website to use as a resource. The lessons are held on Zoom so it is an open opportunity for anyone that wants to learn whilst also creating the opportunity to record and playback what was covered.

Erik hopes to see more youth joining, saying, “I can honestly say that these courses are for everyone. I start from scratch, use a small amount of formulas and uncomplicated language.” Through his lessons he aims to quell some of the common fears that seem to preside around science and physics.

“People have the right to understand the basics of our universe. Sadly, we live in a culture where even in schools people are really afraid of the ‘difficult subjects’.” The lessons are held on Tuesday nights, 7-9pm. Now, where to sign up?

All the dates and times can be found on the website; oxford.ngawhetu.nz

You can also visit the Oxford Observatory Facebook page for open night weather announcements and general updates. Get amongst it!