Space

This image composed from multiple exposures and provided by NSF's NOIRLab shows a comet streaking across a star field above the International Gemini Observatory on Cerro Pachon, near La Serena, Chile.

Tail is growing on a comet visiting from another star

Pictures taken by the Gemini South telescope in Chile are the most detailed yet of the recently discovered comet.

3:22pm

The blood moon during a full lunar eclipse

Luna and partial solar eclipses this month over New Zealand

A total lunar eclipse will take place on Monday morning, followed by a rare partial solar eclipse on September 22.

6:00am

1:30

Queenstown aurora australis pictured at 2.45am.

Stargazers could be treated to dazzling aurora tonight

Stardome says the phenomenon is likely to set off a moderate to strong geomagnetic storm.

Tue, Sep 2

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas.

Latest launch of SpaceX's Starship deploys eight dummy satellites

After just over an hour coasting through space, Starship splashed down as planned in the Indian Ocean.

Thu, Aug 28

This illustration provided by WM Keck Observatory depicts the insides of an exploding star.

Scientists get a rare peek inside of an exploding star

The observation offered a rare peek into stellar evolution.

Wed, Aug 27

Tail is growing on a comet visiting from another star

Pictures taken by the Gemini South telescope in Chile are the most detailed yet of the recently discovered comet.

3:22pm

Luna and partial solar eclipses this month over New Zealand

A total lunar eclipse will take place on Monday morning, followed by a rare partial solar eclipse on September 22.

6:00am

1:30

Stargazers could be treated to dazzling aurora tonight

Stardome says the phenomenon is likely to set off a moderate to strong geomagnetic storm.

Tue, Sep 2

Latest launch of SpaceX's Starship deploys eight dummy satellites

After just over an hour coasting through space, Starship splashed down as planned in the Indian Ocean.

Thu, Aug 28

Scientists get a rare peek inside of an exploding star

The observation offered a rare peek into stellar evolution.

Wed, Aug 27

What is a ‘black moon’ - the rare lunar event lighting up the sky this week?

This new-moon rarity clears the sky of moonlight, making it an excellent time for stargazers.

Sat, Aug 23

Hijacked satellites and orbiting weapons: Space is the new battlefield

Over 12,000 satellites orbit the planet, serving vital military operations, intelligence and economic supply chains. That makes them a significant national security vulnerability.

Tue, Aug 19

A Martian meteorite, said to be the largest piece of Mars on Earth, displayed at Sotheby's in New York.

Niger investigating $8.4m sale of largest Mars rock found on Earth

Sotheby’s said the rock, NWA 16788, was blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike and travelled 225 million kilometres to Earth.

Tue, Aug 12

Milkyway above Church of Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand.

Vatican astronomer praises NZ's dark sky sanctuaries

The director of the Vatican's astronomical observatory has talked up the value of "dark-sky" sanctuaries, ahead of a trip to visit to a sanctuary near Lake Tekapo.

Sun, Aug 10

Jim Lovell commanded Apollo 13, the only Apollo mission scheduled to land on the Moon which did not. Lovell and his fellow astronauts, and the ground crew, overcame incredible odds in bringing the damaged spacecraft of Apollo 13 home to Earth.

Apollo 13 moon mission leader James Lovell dies at 97

With ice water in his veins, Lovell famously uttered: "Houston, we've had a problem", and was immortalised by Tom Hanks' portrayal of him in Apollo 13.

Sat, Aug 9

July 2025

NZ leads world in solar storm preparedness, say ex-NASA centre boss

Solar storms that can bring down global power grids, telecommunications and GPS are extremely hard to predict.

Wed, Jul 16

Biggest piece of Mars on Earth going up for auction in New York

Sotheby's auctioning what's known as NWA 16788 on Wednesday as part of a natural history-themed sale.

Sun, Jul 13

WWII squadron resurrected as NZ's first dedicated space unit

No. 62 Squadron — which supported allied efforts in the war through radar technology — has a new mission after more than 80 dormant years.

Fri, Jul 4

June 2025

MetService meteorologist Heather Keats said those wanting to catch a glimpse of the star cluster should rise early for the best chance.

What weather to expect over Matariki weekend

MetService meteorologist Heather Keats said there would be "quite a bit of cloud cover", but said the best time to gaze skyward was early in the morning.

Thu, Jun 19

Stunning aurora may dazzle southern skies again tonight

The phenomenon was visible as far north as Auckland last night, but it will be our southernmost residents who get the best view again on Monday.

Mon, Jun 2

Mark Rocket (second from right) is the first New Zealander ever to travel to space.

Aerospace entrepreneur Mark Rocket makes history as first Kiwi in space

The Christchurch aerospace engineer said the experience far surpassed his admittedly "high expectations".

Sun, Jun 1

May 2025

A rocket lifting off from Rocket Lab's Mahia Peninsula facility in 2019.

Rocket Lab enters orbit of Trump's Golden Dome with tech acquisition

The NZ-founded firm has acquired a company it says has the "core capabilities" for the construction of Trump's proposed $300 billion missile defence system.

Fri, May 30

Christchurch man Mark Rocket is booked on board Blue Origin's twelfth human space flight.

Nod to NZ on Blue Origin rocket taking Kiwi to space

Christchurch aerospace entrepreneur Mark Rocket will become the first New Zealander in space when the Blue Origin rocket blasts off from Texas on Sunday.

Wed, May 28