These resources explore advanced ideas in astronomy, astrophysics and astrobiology through observation, inquiry and critical thinking. Students investigate topics ranging from stellar evolution and cosmology to cultural astronomy, navigation and humanity’s place in the Universe.
What does it feel like to leave Earth, experience weightlessness and see our planet surrounded by the immense blackness of space?
In this interview, Mark Rocket—the first New Zealander to
Explore Kepler’s Second Law through an interactive orbital simulation. Investigate how a planet’s speed changes throughout its elliptical orbit and discover why equal areas are swept out in equal intervals
This page demonstrates Kepler’s First Law of Planetary Motion with an interactive simulation.
This interactive experience allows students to move through the cluster and explore the three-dimensional structure of Matariki from different perspectives, helping develop a deeper understanding of astronomical scale, distance and
Discover how cultures around the world interpreted the Pleiades star cluster through mythology, astronomy, observation and changing perspectives.
The night sky is full of stars, and our own Sun is the nearest star to us. Stars seem to last forever, the patterns they make in the sky don’t
The distances in space are enormous, and the time that it takes to travel, even within our Solar System, between celestial objects is huge. Science fiction gives us warp drives
The Solar System formed from a cloud of gas and dust that collapsed into a rotating disk. Explore how particles collide and form planets using an interactive simulation.
Stars like our Sun produce energy through nuclear fusion, where hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium. This process occurs in a sequence called the proton-proton chain, releasing energy that powers
Our Stellar Neighbourhood: Stars Within 50 Light Years
Our Sun is surrounded by many nearby stars within a 50 light-year radius, most of which are small, cool red dwarfs.
This activity is part of our live SpacewardBound sessions delivered directly in schools. We run it as a full interactive experience using our mobile planetarium and hands-on activities.
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