Moon rise
Did you know that for the two nights after the full moon, you can observe the moon, when it rises out of the sea over the east coast beaches of Great Barrier Island?
Quite a sight, when this orange ball comes over the horizon. The moon usually looks orange when it is low in the sky. At that time, you view it through more of the Earth’s atmosphere than when the moon is high in the sky.
If you want to know exactly when the moon rises in your time on Great Barrier Island, this time and Date website is a great starting point.
The atmosphere contains particles that absorb and scatter light. And shorter wavelengths are scattered more than longer wavelengths of light, so we see more of the latter. Longer wavelengths are redder. And so, when the light from the moon travels through more atmosphere it’s more scattered. This is why it appears redder in the sky. And why the sun at both sunset and sunrise appears to be orange.
Moon Walk
Enjoy the rising moon by yourself during a beach walk while the sand is illuminated by its light. Or join a Good Heavens Moon Walk if you like to learn more about our Moon and the stars. During our Moon Walks, you get an unforgettable close up look at the moon through our telescope. Our Good Heavens guides will also tell you stories about the moon and constellations. And in addition, you’ll look at the stars and other objects within our galaxy through binoculars or an 8″ telescope.
If you love the moon and would love to know more about it, a Moon Walk is the tour for you. If you are keen to see the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds, book in for a Look Up and Get Lost stargazing experience.
Moon Walks are available when the moon is larger than 50% in the evening sky. Look Up and Get Lost experiences are available the rest of the month.
Calendar
Check out the Good Heavens booking page, to see what is available when you are here. If there are no Look Up and Get Lost Tours scheduled, it’s probably Moon Walk time, and the other way around.
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