Under The Martinborough Stars
Matariki, the Maramataka and the Winter Solstice
Set your alarm clock. Put a pot of coffee on. Wrap up warm. Morning stargazing in Winter rewards you with viewing the beautiful Matariki cluster.
Recently, New Zealand has begun to reinstate the Māori seasonal calendar over the last decade or so, and now most towns, cities and communities celebrate Matariki in Mid-Winter in some form or another.
Last month, the Winter Solstice occurred on June the 22nd; the shortest day and the longest night. The Southern Hemisphere is tilted at its furthest point away from the Sun, so the South Pole is in constant darkness and won’t see sunlight again for another 3 months. … Continue Reading
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