[Lara Croft]

I had to go out to fetch in my washing, and I couldn't believe how many stars are visible tonight... the milky way looks so beautiful tonight. Anyone else been out for a look?

Jane

[CJ22]

Must be weird not seeing the familiar old constellations.

[PeteS]

Must be weird not seeing the familiar old constellations.

But we can see familiar constellations......

[Leccy-Lee]

Theres a few familiar constellations as up North, Orion for a start, hes still here, although hes upside down!

Yes i joined an Astronomy society this weekend and spent Saturday night gazing at the milky way through massive telescopes in the middle on nowhere (no really, nearest place miles away!).

[thezorbster]

Recently moved into our new house and the stars from here are amazing, we're in the middle of nowhere with no artificial light and I couldn't believe it when we went to bed on the first night, lay in bed, gazed out of the window and saw the stars. Wow! I was telling my Mum about them last night as we used to do a lot of stargazing when I was younger but they are truly phenomenal here.

[incredible hulse]

Yes i joined an Astronomy society this weekend and spent Saturday night gazing at the milky way through massive telescopes in the middle on nowhere (no really, nearest place miles away!).
Can you pm the contact details of this society please Lee ?

[Nick88]

I remember our first New Years' Eve in our current house. We were looking at the moons of Jupiter through binoculars, they were wonderfully clear. Can't see it now, unfortunately it is too close to the sun.

[Lupin]

I live in the sticks and go out most nights before bed to watch the stars (and if it's really starry I sleep with the curtains open so I can watch them as we moved our bed to under the window to enjoy it more). If you lie out for half an hour or so in the dark the number you can see is just incredible. First time I saw the Southern starry skies properly at night was in the Border Ranges NP, Oz and I actually cried at the awesome beauty.

[benandclare]

Amazed at how clear the stars are here also and we live on out skirts of Christchurch :nice1

[Lara Croft]

Lupin, I was almost in tears as well!!

I'd been thinking about some cr@ppy stuff that's going on, and was feeling a bit maudlin (as you do sometimes!), and when I saw the stars it felt almost as though someone / something had put out this display to cheer me up. A very spiritual feeling (and I do not do religion).

Is it something to do with the time of year? Are the stars brighter and clearer during certain months, or is it like this most of the time?

Jane

[incredible hulse]

Think now is one of the better times as there are less cloudy nights. Must say though I often find that it's cloudy quite often here on the Kapiti coast and that often blows the chances of seeing much.

[Leccy-Lee]

Can you pm the contact details of this society please Lee ?

PM sent, but for others here they are..

http://www.astronomynz.org.nz/introduction/the-phoenix-astronomical-society-2.html

[Smiler]

We're in the sticks too. We saw Brooke Fraser last night in Wanganui and got home quite late.

While opening the gates to get the car through I just stood in the paddock and stared at the sky, the stars were amazing!! So beautiful and so many.

Not often I use this word but - AWESOME!

[StevieD]

It is stunning, some fantastic viewing. Even watched the space station going over a couple of times, bright as anything it is. Satellites, comets, meteors, a skywatchers treat.

[Will_2007]

Anybody got any pics? One of the many things I'm looking forward to in NZ is taking pics of the night sky, I live way too close to London at the mo to be able to see much :(