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Hanmer Springs Star Tours

Looking for an unforgettable night-time adventure? Experience the breathtaking beauty of our dark skies as you learn about the wonders both within and beyond our own galaxy.

Using our range of telescopes, join us as we explore different star clusters, nebulae, far away galaxies and much more!

Share your experiences with friends and family with photos supplied after every tour.

Set in over 20 hectares of native forest, with stunning night skies away from the village lights.

Join us

Details Join us for an evening under the stars.

Our guides will take you on a tour first using the naked eye, where we discuss different stars and constellations as you learn to navigate the night sky. Warm the insides with a complimentary hot chocolate and snacks.

Get up close with our quality electronically guided telescopes. Great for looking at deep sky objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye, such as far away Galaxies.

Get even closer with our astrophotography equipment as you observe items being photographed and processed in real time!

Enjoy a free roam experience with our our range of manual telescopes. Our astro binoculars work great on our lounges, where you can lie back fully and gaze up at the wonders above. Pair these with our interactive star finder and test your navigation skills!

What guests are saying

Details "Great experience. Awesome knowledgeable guides that showed off the night sky with snacks and hot drinks. A perfect stargazing night."

"Amazing. So much passion and knowledge about stars and history. Very much enjoyed."

"Great experience. Our whole family enjoyed themselves and we all learnt something new. The hosts were fantastic, and the sky was brilliant. Saturn played its part and let us see its rings and moon! I could have stayed and watched for hours."

Get your Astro merchandise

Details Kit yourself out with some cool astro gear! Caps, beanies and key-rings available now.

To browse and order your own, visit the book now page and choose merchanise.

Free shipping within New Zealand.

Variable Stars

Details One of our favourite things to observe are variable stars!

Variable stars are fascinating because of their dynamic nature. Over time they exhibit changes in brightness. Revealing insights into stellar processes. Pulsations, eclipses or eruptions, providing valuable data for studying and expanding our understanding of the universe.

This Hubble image shows RS Puppis, a type of variable star known as a Cepheid variable.
Credit:NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-Hubble/Europe Collaboration.

Te Ikaroa (The Milky Way)

Details In Maori mythology, the Milky Way is known as 'Te Ikaroa.' According to legend, the god Tane wanted to bring his mother, Papatuanuku, closer to him. With the help of birds, Tane created a celestial rope called 'Hawere' and pulled Papatuanuku towards the heavens. As she ascended, the rope stretched and twisted, forming the Milky Way. Te Ikaroa became the sacred pathway for departed souls on their journey to the underworld, guided by stars and ancestral spirits.

Want to know more?

Details Join us on our night sky tour, either in a group tour or our Family Exclusive experience with sole use of our equipment and guides to help you.

Click on the book now page to choose a date that works for you

Details "If I have seen further into the universe, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants" - Sir Isaac Newton