Discover Selwyn’s Starry Night Skies

Tucked down Bells Road in West Melton is one of Selwyn’s fascinating hidden gems - the Canterbury Astronomical Society (CAS) observatory. This privately owned, not-for-profit society has been bringing people closer to the cosmos for generations. Originally established in the late 1800s, CAS was later reformed after World War II before securing its current location in the 1970’s and today boasts a thriving membership of over 250 from around the world.

 A legacy written in the stars

The observatory is situated on land gifted by founding member R.F. Joyce, a generous legacy that has supported generations of stargazers. During the early days of the Cold War, CAS repurposed surplus military telescope equipment that was used for tracking satellites for amateur astronomy. In the early days before digital technology, members manually tracked telescopes by hand, imaging the night sky on photographic film.  Members captured astronomical objects and even spotted supernova candidates. It was painstaking work, but a true labour of love.

Today, the observatory is one of the best-equipped in New Zealand, boasting five fixed telescopes, including two 11-inch scopes, a 14", a 16", and a 120mm, along with a range of portable telescopes available for use during public events.

A sky full of wonders

Selwyn’s night skies are something very special. With our low light pollution, fast-moving weather systems and clear air, Selwyn offers some of the best stargazing conditions and places to view in the country. You can spot the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, unique to the southern hemisphere from your garden. These two satellite galaxies visible to the naked eye, looking like 'fuzzy clouds', sit near or below our Southern Cross. Located around 180,000 light-years away they contain hundreds of millions of stars and planets like our own galaxy. Look out for Omega Centauri, a dazzling star cluster made up of more than 10 million stars.

Large Megellanic Cloud.
Credit: Simon Lewis - CAS President

Inspiring the next generation

CAS President Simon Lewis, an enthusiastic astrophotographer and passionate educator, is proud of New Zealand’s growing space science focus in schools. CAS contributes through its junior programme, CAStronauts, encouraging tamariki to explore astronomy and our place in the universe. "We want to give everyone a peek into the cosmos," says Simon. And judging by the queues of up to 100 people at their open nights, the sky is definitely calling.

Visit the Observatory

The Canterbury Astronomical Society regularly opens its observatory to the public for Astroblast! Open Nights, an experience not to be missed. Just 45 minutes from Christchurch, the observatory is an accessible destination for anyone curious about the cosmos.

Each open evening begins with a welcome talk, followed by a guided laser tour of the night sky and the chance to view celestial wonders through a range of powerful telescopes. You may get to glimpse Saturn’s rings, craters of our Moon, or the glowing heart of a distant nebula, the experience is unforgettable.

Book your tickets on Eventbrite and come experience the wonder of Selwyn’s night skies or find out more at cas.org.nz

Fighting Dragons near Southern Cross. 
Credit: Simon Lewis - CAS President

Protecting our night sky

Our night sky is a taonga. We can all do our bit to help preserve it with some simple changes:

●      Using sensor-activated outdoor lights that turn off when not in use 

●      Choose lighting brightness appropriate to the area needed

●      Fit all external lighting with shades that bounce light downwards

●      Choose low light capable security cameras that avoid additional lighting

Just as we care for our rivers and land, our skies need protection too, so that our future generations will be able to continue to gaze up into the heavens in awe.

Vela near the Southern Cross and Large Magellanic Cloud.
Credit: Simon Lewis - CAS President