New Plymouth Observatory

New Plymouth Observatory has stood on Marsland Hill (Pūkākā) in New Plymouth, New Zealand, since 1920, and remains the home of the New Plymouth Astronomical Society (NPAS).

About New Plymouth Observatory

The observatory is run by NPAS on Robe Street, at the heart of New Plymouth. It still houses its original 150mm refracting telescope, built by Alvan Clark and Sons in 1881, alongside a modern 2015 Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope fitted with automated tracking.

History

The New Plymouth Astronomical Society was formally established on 3 July 1919, following a public meeting driven by the efforts of Presbyterian minister Reverend Oscar Blundell. The domed observatory building was officially opened on 19 August 1920, its construction funded by £568 raised through public subscriptions and donations.

Telescopes & research

The historic 1881 Alvan Clark refractor sits alongside the newer Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, giving the society both a piece of astronomical heritage and a modern instrument for public observing sessions.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits on Marsland Hill, known to Māori as Pūkākā, right in New Plymouth on New Zealand's North Island, making it an easy stop for anyone in the city.

Visiting New Plymouth Observatory

NPAS opens the observatory to the public every Tuesday evening, with winter hours of 7.30–9.00pm and summer hours of 8.30–10.00pm.

See your named star from here

Between its century-old refractor and its modern computerised telescope, New Plymouth Observatory has the tools to find almost anything in the sky. If you've named a star with Star Register, bring its coordinates from our star catalogue to a Tuesday evening session and ask the NPAS volunteers to help you find it.