Astronomy – A closer look at Matariki

This year is the first year that New Zealand will officially celebrate the season of Matariki with a public holiday. 

This year, the holiday falls on the June 24, when the Matariki star cluster is visible again in our morning sky. This rise of Matariki heralds in the Māori New Year.

This star cluster is one of the best known deep-sky objects and is more commonly referred to in astronomy circles as the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters or Messier 45. In Hawaiian it is Makali’i, ‘eyes of royalty’, and in Japan it is Subaru, meaning ‘gathered together’. It also features in many other cultures around the world. This star cluster is also mentioned three times in the Bible!

The cluster rests on the shoulders of Taurus the Bull and a number of the stars can be easily seen with the naked eye. Most people typically see between 6 and 10 stars. Of course, with binoculars, you would see many more. 

In 1610, Galileo Galilei became the first astronomer to view the Pleiades through a telescope and noticed that there were far more stars than people knew about. He documented 36 stars with his observations. 

With modern equipment, we now know that there are more than 800 stars in the Pleiades cluster, which consist of mostly middle-aged hot B-type stars. We also know that they sit at a distance of 444 light years away from us and formed around 100 million years ago – much younger than our own sun.

In Greek culture, the nine brightest stars of the Pleiades are named for the Seven Sisters of Greek mythology: Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygeta, Celaeno, and Alcyone, along with their parents, Atlas and Pleione. According to one Māori myth, the cluster represents a whaea or mother – Matariki – and her six daughters Tupuānuku, Tupuārangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā and Ururangi. This can vary slightly according to various iwi traditions.

We on the Coast are lucky, as we are in a prime spot to view the rise of the Matariki constellation. You would need to look towards the east, just before sunrise on the 24 June. You will see the three stars of Orion’s belt (also called The Pot). 

Look towards the left of the belt and you will see a triangle shaped constellation called Matakārehu. Just off the left shoulder of this constellation, you will see a bright cluster of stars. This is Matariki.

Take this chance to get out and be a part of this ancient ritual of welcoming the return of Matariki. 

While you are there, take a look at all the other wonders in our morning sky and take the chance to see the sunrise.