The RASNZ Conference of 2-4 June 2023 promises to be a stimulating event with international keynote speakers, about 40 talks provided in two streams and a book launch followed by a workshop on historical astronomy on Monday, 5 June. For the very first time RASNZ will be livestreaming the conference offering those who are unable to attend in person the opportunity to participate remotely. Please check out the conference article in this newsletter for further details.  

Among the wide range of talks on offer, those I am personally looking forward to relate to furthering Amateur Research, Citizen Science, Outreach and Dark Sky protection, covering areas RASNZ directly supports. They include:

    • Finding ways to support amateur astronomical research by RASNZ’s Dr. Tom Love

    • Fireballs Aotearoa: New Zealand's community meteor camera network by University of Otago’s Professor James Scott

    • Exoplanet Watch and Eyes on Exoplanets, promoting citizen science by University of Canterbury student Leah Albrow currently an intern with NASA

    • Weather & environmental limitations to stargazing by Dark Sky Project’s Adrien Vilquin Barrajon

    • A Parliamentary petition for dark sky protection by Professor John Hearnshaw

The 100th RASNZ Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the annual in-person Affiliated Societies Meeting are also scheduled to take place during the conference weekend. Details of these are in the notices section in this newsletter. As a member of RASNZ, your participation in the AGM and the Affiliated Societies Meeting is important and valued. This will be an opportunity for you to find out about the progress we are making and to voice your opinions. To facilitate your participation, video conferencing facilities are being arranged to enable remote access for those members unable to attend in person. The details of the video conferencing link will be shared with you closer to the date of the meeting.

Our annual conference is also the occasion when the RASNZ awards and prizes are announced and presented. These recognise those dedicated people who have made a special contribution to astronomy.

Around mid-June, Matariki (Pleaides) makes its annual appearance in the dawn sky, though the official Matariki public holiday in New Zealand will be on 14 July. Alan Gilmore has provided a chart in this newsletter that will assist you with observing Matariki, an important symbol of New Zealand culture and a significant event in our national astronomical calendar. We will also be sharing in a worldwide cultural experience dating back over many millennia.

I look forward to seeing you at the RASNZ Conference, AGM and Affiliated Societies Meeting, each a very special occasion where once again astronomers from all over New Zealand will gather to improve their astronomical knowledge, exchange ideas, meet old friends, form collaborations and support networks and have a fun astronomy-focussed weekend in the company of like minded people.

Nalayini Davies, FRASNZ, MSc (Astronomy)
President – Royal Astronomical Society of NZ
president@rasnz.org.nz