The Carter Observatory is kicking off the annual Matariki celebration with a public observation of the rising of Matariki, the Pleiades constellation on Monday 14 June.

This will occur at the summit of Mt Victoria from 6.30-7.30 am and will involve mana whenua from Taranaki Whanui ki te Upoko o te Ika greeting the rising, along with astronomers from Carter Observatory giving another perspective. The observation is open to all members of the public, and it is weather dependant in that if it doesn’t happen on the 14th, the Carter Observatory won’t be re-scheduling it - however they've informed us that they will be there no matter what the weather.

So if you'd like both a cultural and a scientific appreciation of the stars in our skies, set your alarm clocks early and make your way to the top of Mt Victoria!