Akaroa Stargazing

24/08/2026

✨ Year-Round Casual Astronomy Guide Wanted in Akaroa! ✨

Love the universe and observing the night sky? Akaroa Stargazing is looking for an enthusiastic, casual guide to join our small, family-run team! 🔭

This is a year-round position with flexible hours—perfect whether you’re in your final year of school with a big passion for science, a local retiree who loves stargazing, or anyone in between who wants to turn their cosmic passion into pay!

What we offer:
⭐ Year-round flexibility: Evening stargazing & daytime tours (sungazing/virtual) that fit around your lifestyle or study.
⭐ Full training: We provide practical coaching on night sky navigation and operating equipment.
⭐ A stunning location: Work outdoors under the dark skies of Akaroa!

What we’re looking for:
⭐ Strong Astronomy Knowledge is a MUST (a deep understanding of stars, astrophysics, and celestial phenomena).
⭐ Full Driver's Licence & reliable transport.
⭐ Friendly communication skills to inspire awe in our guests!

📍 Located in Akaroa (90 mins from Christchurch)

📧 Drop us a line at [email protected] or call 021 0243 0328 to chat!

17/07/2026

Kia renarena te taukaea aroha, strengthening the threads that connect us.

Ngā mihi Bonnie Garner for organising a successful school holiday fun day for our whānau and community.

With taonga pūoro workshops, face painting, star gazing (āe, the sun is still a star), and pizza making there was something for everyone.

17/07/2026

Nothing beats a perfectly dark, moonless winter night in Akaroa! ✨

These shots were taken on Wednesday evening. The sky was completely dark, clear, and absolutely packed with stars. Looking up at the core of our galaxy on a night like this never gets old!

Winter stargazing really is next level. The air is crisper, the skies are darker, and the view is just breathtaking.

Swipe through to see the jaw-dropping views you missed, and let us know: What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in the night sky? 👇✨

10/07/2026

Mānawatia a Matariki! Happy Matariki everyone! ✨🕊

We hope you all had a fantastic Friday. It certainly started well for us, watching France win her place in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup! 🥳

Luca is incredibly excited to head to Okains Bay tomorrow morning to watch the rise of Matariki. This is our very first collaboration with the Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum, and it is officially fully booked! Woop woop! 🙌

For those who managed to grab a spot, here is the programme for tomorrow:
- 6:00am – Meet at Okains Bay Museum to travel by private car to the top of Seftons Road
- 6:30am to 7:30am – Viewing of Matariki, with hot chocolate and muffins
- 8:00am to 9:00am – Breakfast at Okains Bay Museum
- 9:00am to 9:30am – Illustrated talk by Luca
- From 10:00am – Follow the museum Matariki trail to discover how taonga Māori on display connects to each Matariki star

Now, a 6:00am start is very early for Luca, but he promises he's excited! 🥱🤣 Eros and I will be holding down the fort at the shop tomorrow afternoon while Luca takes a much-deserved snooze.

Matariki is always such a busy time of year for us, but we're still managing to find moments to slow down. After his nap, we will all be heading over to the Madeira Hotel Akaroa to watch the All Blacks vs Italy!

If you want to join us for a stargazing tour tomorrow night, we have a few final spaces available on our 7:30pm departure. We've also just added a last-minute 8:30pm departure (couldn't do it any earlier because of the rugby, obviously!).

Spaces won't last, so get in quick to lock yours in! ✨

📸: The Matariki cluster, captured beautifully by Luca.

06/07/2026

Happy school holidays!

What absolutely beautiful weather we’re having to kick things off...🌧️☁️

With clouds and rain forecast for the next few days, chances of seeing the stars in the evening are pretty low. But hey, we're in New Zealand... the weather can change quickly! 🤞

Either way, we've got you covered. A wee reminder about our indoor Space Voyager tour! You get to stay warm and travel deep into Space from the total comfort of our shop, guided by Luca or Karoline. 🚀🪐

We have two daytime sessions running every day: 10:30am and 1:30pm.

To help out with the holiday budget, we are doing a Buy One, Get One HALF PRICE deal for all our daytime sessions this week! Use the code HOLIDAY at checkout.

Spaces are strictly limited per session, so get in quick before they sell out!

29/06/2026

Our winter shop renovations are officially finished! 🥳🌌

Luca and Eros are proudly posing in front of our brand-new Solar System wall. Big round of applause to Luca who handcrafted all 8 planets and our Sun into beautiful display shelves over at the Men’s Shed!

We still have a few things left ON SALE, but we’ve also just received some amazing new stock, including Matariki books, sky charts, and more.

Pop into the shop to check out the new look and browse the new goodies! ✨🔭

27/06/2026

We're trying to make things easy for YOU, yes you who are considering coming over the hills. It might just be the perfect winter package!

24/06/2026

Limited tickets available, get yours now!! Contact Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum ❤️
Early start for our night owl Luca 😜

Mānawatia a Matariki! Gather your whānau and friends on Saturday, 11 July for an unforgettable pre-dawn viewing of the stars from high on the hill overlooking Okains Bay. Astronomy guide Luca from Akaroa Stargazing will give a talk onsite, and after breakfast, back at . For Banks Peninsula residents and visitors staying at Okains Bay Campground or in Akaroa and the Bays over the holiday weekend, phone (03) 304 8611 or email [email protected] to book a place.

22/05/2026

This winter we are doing some renovations in our shop, and the first one is Luca bringing the Moon down to Earth!

He made this moon display shelf for our Akaroa Stargazing Space over at the Akaroa Men's Shed. That's his happy place! If you ask Eros what daddy's job is, he will say: stargazing and Men's Shed 🤣

Swipe to see the workshop process and the final result!

Pop in to see it in person and check out our winter sale while you're here. ✨🔭

21/05/2026

Really proud to watch this video by EarthSky with our good friend Dan from Stargaze Mackenzie
Check it out 👇

Venus and Jupiter — our sky's 2 brightest planets — are drawing closer together each evening. They're heading for a beautiful conjunction in June 2026. Join ...