Celebrate Equinox at Ātea a Rangi Star Compass

Welcome the change of seasons and mark the equinox next week at the Ātea a Rangi star compass at Awatoto.

The Ātea a Rangi Educational Trust will be hosting an informal event at the star compass in Waitangi Regional Park on Thursday 22 March from 6.30-7.30am.

“It will be a casual event for people to watch Te Whakawhitinga o te rā, the sunrise, when the sun rising directly on the carved Pou of Whitinga (East).  This is usually a day or two after the official Equinox due to our southern latitude,” says Phillip Smith of the Ātea a Rangi Educational Trust.

“It’s also the time of year when the day and night are of equal length, so we’ll acknowledge the change of seasons from summer – Te raumati – to autumn – Te ngahuru.”

Trust members and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council parks staff will be on site for a karakia at the 7.15 am dawn and talk about how the sun moves from autumn through to the winter solstice.

The Trust is working with the regional council planning a series of larger events for schools and the public to celebrate the winter solstice on site during June 18-22.

16 March 2018

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