Aotearoa Astrotourism Academy

Join a stellar crew of Kiwi astronomers
for an awe-inspiring stargazing experience

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Photo Credit; Fraser Gunn

Kūaotunu, Coromandel Peninsula, NZ

Astrotourism and stargazing course in Kūaotunu, 18-20 September 2026

Aotearoa Astrotourism Academy is excited to announce a stargazing and astronomy course in the Coromandel in September 2026.

This hands-on course is designed for stargazing enthusiasts, aspiring amateur astronomers and astrophotographers, for Earth and Space Science school teachers and for anyone who wants to have fun navigating the night sky by telescope or binoculars.

An introduction to Matariki and Māori astronomy will be included in the course. This will provide a solid foundation for anyone who is interested in entering the astrotourism industry.

No previous experience is required. Numbers are limited so do book early!

Here's an outline of the topics covered in this course

Day/TimeModuleInstructor/s
Friday 18 September 2026
2pm		Course registration opens at the Kuaotunu Community Hall, 12 Black Jack Rd, Kuaotunu, Coromandel
2:30 – 2.40pmWelcoming address, Kuaotunu Community Hall John Hearnshaw
2:40 – 3.30 pmIntroduction for participants
3.30 - 4pmAfternoon tea/coffee break
4 - 5pmOverview of astrotourism and dark sky places in New ZealandNalayini Davies
5 - 6pmHow binoculars and telescopes work and how to use a telescopeJohn Drummond
6 - 6.45pmReception in Kuaotunu Community Hall
6.45 - 8pmDinner Break (participants make own arrangements)
8.15 - 10.15pmAstro-Tour and observing with telescopes. At Stargazers’ B&B, 9 School of Mines Lane, 392 SH25, Kuaotunu. If the weather is not suitable for observing, then Alastair Brickell will lead a visit to his observatory and geological display. Alan Gilmore, Alastair Brickell, Gareth Davies, John Drummond
Saturday 19 September
9 - 10.10am		Coordinates and time in astronomy John Hearnshaw
10.10 - 10.40amMorning tea/coffee break
10.40 - 11.40amPrincipal objects to look at for astrotouristsAlan Gilmore
11.40am - 12.30pmStargazers’ B&B and AstrotoursAlastair Brickell
12.30 - 2pmLunch Break
2 - 3pmOur place in the UniverseNalayini Davies
3 - 3.30pmThe astronomy equipment for youGareth Davies
3.30 - 4pmAfternoon tea/coffee break
4 - 5pmTechniques of Astrophotography John Drummond
5 - 6.15pmWorkshops
Option 1: Hands-On Astro-photography, or
Option 2: Setting up an Astro-tourism Business
John Drummond
Nalayini Davies
6.15 - 8pmDinner Break (participants make own arrangements)
8.15 - 10.15pmAstro-Tour and observing with telescopes and/or Great Astro-quiz
At Stargazers’ B&B, 9 School of Mines Lane, 392 SH25, Kuaotunu 		Alan Gilmore, Alastair Brickell, John Drummond, Gareth Davies
Sunday 20 September
9 - 10am		Naming of stars and celestial objects John Hearnshaw
10 - 10.30amAstronomy outreach - 20 tips to remember Gareth Davies
10.30 - 11amMorning tea/coffee break
11am - 12pmMaori astronomy and MatarikiBruce Ngataierua
12 - 12.30pmImages from my EVscope Gareth Davies
12.30 - 2pmLunch Break
2 - 2.45pmThe Solar SystemAlan Gilmore
2.45 - 3.45pmStellar evolution – the lives of the starsJohn Hearnshaw
3.45 - 4.15pmAfternoon tea/coffee break
4.15 - 4.45pmUseful books, publications and software for night sky guides and amateur astronomers All Instructors
4.45pmPresentation of AAA Certificates to participants
5pmClose

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY ABOUT OUR COURSES

What an incredible course, thank you so much. My prime objective was to help me gain confidence and build a more robust way to extend the Astrophotography packages we currently offer. I feel so much more confident now in what to offer. This course ticked all the boxes I had and also many, many more that I didn’t know needed ticking. Thank you so much. You’ve helped me unlock even more of the night sky. You’ve started something very worthwhile and beneficial to Aotearoa and its tourism industry.
SimonTwizel,
Thank you all so much for a wonderfully inspiring and informative course last weekend. Jami and I thoroughly enjoyed it, we are super stoked to have had such amazing, acclaimed instructors to learn from. Feeling lucky and blessed, now just waiting for the clouds to part so that we can put this knowledge into practice.
Karen (Tiggy) ReidPiha
Thank you and the rest of the team for a splendid course into Astrotourism – I found it immensely beneficial and well balanced. The presenters were very knowledgeable and generous in sharing that knowledge – it was also great fun!
JeffTwizel
Thanks so much for running this course. I found it really useful… The course had loads of really useful stuff for me as a teacher, and should enable me to take students out for stargazing sessions more confidently. It really filled in some of the blanks I had. It was great being in a room with so many enthusiasts and the conversations we had were also great. I was also really impressed by the catering.
JustinDunedin
I’m still buzzing 🙂 I really enjoyed the course, even if some (actually quite a bit) didn’t really sink in far, I loved listening to all the information given by all the experts and I have my notes to read through to refresh my mind.
MargyBanockburn, Otago
First, thank you to all the instructors who provided such a broad range of information on both the main aspects of the course. Their knowledge and down to earth presentations made the whole occasion interesting and informative, no matter what particular aspect we participants had come to find out about. The programme kept our interest throughout by placing one aspect after another generally, and I thought that was very clever. The practical sessions with telescopes, and slides or videos of processes were particularly helpful.
NeilDunedin
JOIN OUR WAITLIST

VENUE

Kūaotunu Community Hall (during the day)

12 Black Jack Road
Kūaotunu
Coromandel Peninsula 3592
New Zealand.
(16km north of Whitianga)

Stargazers B&B and Astro Tours observatory
(Friday and Saturday evenings from 8 pm)
9 School of Mines Lane
392 State Highway 25
Kūaotunu
Coromandel Peninsula 3592
(2km south of the Community Hall)

Course Manager

Alastair Brickell

AAA has appointed Alastair as manager of the Coromandel course. He will oversee the catering for the course and manage the logistics of the course delivery and ensure everything runs smoothly on the days of the course.

Alastair will also be a guest instructor at the course, as he runs Stargazers B&B in Kūaotunu from his private observatory at his home https://www.stargazersbb.com

REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
See The Full Course Schedule

Join our waitlist to be advised of any cancellations and our next course dates​