2026Public Viewing Night's

2026 Public Viewing season our Public Viewings will be held on a Saturday night between 7:00pm - 9:30pm unless otherwise stated, usually starting late March   and running untill early September

We use our  Celestron 8in on an iOptron Az mount, on the front of the Club building  as well as spotting scopes occasionally, and in our new D Little Observatory with a 10" Meade located at the rear of the Club building to give people the views of a lifetime. Depending on weather, cloud, and what's going on in the sky, to may be able to see the moon, planets, star clusters, and bright nebulae. 

Southland Astronomical Society has Astronomical Viewings at the former Oreti Sands Golf Course, just off of Sandy Point Road (see map).  We update our Facebook page regularly to remind people that viewings are on, or to advise of extra viewings. Check out our page at this link HERE.

Public Viewing Nights for the 2026 viewing season 

March 3rd /4th 9pm – 1:30am Total Lunar Eclipse 

March 28th 8pm-10pm

April 11th & 25th 7pm – 9pm

May 9th & 23rd 7pm – 9pm

June 6th & 20th 7pm – 9pm

July 4th & 18th 6:30pm – 8:30pm

August 1st/15th & 29th 6:30pm – 8:30pm

September 12th & 26th 7pm – 9pm

October 17th 2pm – 4pm Sun/Lunar

November 28th 3:30pm – 5pm Sun/Lunar