Astrophotography Blog

Mānawatia a Matariki. Happy Matariki everyone! The Pleiades or Matariki is an open star cluster associated with the zodiac constellation of Taurus. It is one of the closer star clusters to earth at a distance of around 440 light years. For the Maori here in New Zealand, witnessing the return of this cluster of to the sky is used to bring in the new year. Annually in the later part of June, Matariki is once again seen rising above the horizon just before dawn.