Stardome Observatory & Planetarium

Unclaimed

For all of history, humans have gazed up into the sky and felt a connection to the countless stars glimmering overhead. These distant suns have inspired our imagination, mythology, science and technology for millennia. Stars have fuelled exploration across the planet and guided journeys into space. As humanity reaches for the stars into the future, we continue an ancient relationship with the cosmos. Many years ago people believed that the earth was flat. But through careful observation a Greek mathematician named Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the planet with remarkable accuracy around 240BC. He is credited as "the Greek who proved the earth was round." Mysteries surrounding the origin of the universe have captivated our minds for ages, sparking contemplation and curiosity. In the 1920s Edwin Hubbles groundbreaking discovery of an expanding universe laid the groundwork for the "Big Bang Theory," when an infinitely dense fireball, known as a "singularity," exploded 13.8 million years ago and marks the beginning of space, time and matter. As space expanded and cooled down over time galaxies, stars and planets formed. In the 1980s Alan Guth proposed the "Cosmic Inflation Theory" Guth's theory is consistent with observable scientific evidence. It resolves several enduring cosmological mysteries, including the horizon problem and flatness problem. The most surprising thing is the scale of the universe which is impossible to comprehend or imagine. The most distant objects in the universe are 47 billion light years away, therefore the size of the observable universe is 94 billion light years in diameter. This is the distance light has travelled since the "Big Bang" about 13.8 billion years ago. There are 2 trillion galaxies in the universe that we can see and each galaxy has around 400 billion stars. In our own Milky Way Galaxy, it would take 100,000 light years to cross from one side to the other. We can only see 5% of universe which is ordinary matter. The other 95% is invisible. 27% is dark matter and 68% is dark energy. It is generally agreed that the cornerstone of the laws of physics are Isaac Newtons, laws of motion and gravitation 1687, and Albert Einsteins, special theory of relativity 1905 and general theory of relativity 1915. Albert Einstein was working on a unified field theory when he died in 1955. He was trying to tie together his theory of general relativity and quantum mechanics..This theory was an attempt to explain all of physics forces as a single principle. One solution to this was the "String Theory" first proposed by Gabriele Veneziano in 1968, which combines the two theories by assuming that there are multiple universes and dimensions beyond the ones we know. "Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."-Albert Einstein

Admission is $5 for people over 3 years old. We went on a rainy day. It was fun but very small. Without engagement a small child can speed through in under 10 minutes. I think you need to go in the evening and or for a planned movie feature to get the full effect of the planetarium. There is a small gift shop at the entrance.

I love this place, its themed installations are amazing and the best part is that kids can participate in the hands on experience. This place never disappoints. The visual sessions are engaging and entertaining! The only downside is the lack of enough car parking for the people attending the Stardome.

Last night we went to Stardrome in Auckland and it was an unforgettable experience! We watched an incredible Queen band show on the big screen , After the show, the staff gave us extra activities, including a chance to use the big telescope to see a star up close. It was such a magical and inspiring moment! This place is also really great for the younger generation. It’s not just entertaining — it sparks curiosity about the universe and space. The combination of fun shows, interactive exhibits, and real stargazing opportunities makes learning exciting and memorable. It’s the perfect place to inspire kids, teens, and even adults to explore science and the wonders of the cosmos. Highly recommended for families and anyone interested in space or astronomy!