‘A glitter ball of stars’: Clear skies set stage for Matariki stargazing

Saturday, 11 July 2026

The Matariki cluster as seen from the Willow Park campground in Matakana.

An Auckland photographer said the Matariki stargazing conditions on Friday morning were perfect, with a “glitter ball of stars” on display.

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Much of New Zealand is expected to enjoy favourable conditions for viewing the Matariki star cluster over the long weekend, with the South Island offering the best chance of clear skies.

Earth Sciences New Zealand’s latest Matariki cloud cover forecast predicts ideal stargazing conditions across most of the South Island from Friday through the weekend, while weather in parts of the North Island is expected to gradually improve.

Chris Weissenborn used a phone app to help him identify the stars.

Some Stuff readers in northern Aotearoa have already gotten lucky. Chris Weissenborn captured the Matariki cluster from Matakana in north Auckland.

Birley said the viewing conditions were perfect on Friday morning.

Brent Nicholls took this photo in Sherry in the Tasman District.

Grant Birley captured these photos of the Matariki stars from Auckland's Hibiscus Coast.

Grant Birley snapped these photos from Auckland’s Hibiscus Coast.

“Couldn’t have asked for better conditions this morning. The sky was a glitter ball of stars even with the moon and Matariki was shining brightly. Then as sunrise approached… the sky exploded into beams of colour.”

Brent Nicholls took this photo about 6am at the former Matariki School building in Sherry, Tasman. He used a Canon 6D camera with a 24-105mm lens.

Matariki refers to the rising of the star cluster known as Pleiades. For Māori and those who follow the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar), this marks the end of one lunar cycle and the beginning of te tau hou Māori (Māori new year).

The Matariki cluster is best seen in the pre-dawn hours between 3am and 6am, as the stars rise above New Zealand’s eastern horizon.

“High pressure will be easing into the country this weekend, centred over the South Island, which will clear the sky and also drop the temperatures,” said meterologist Chester Lampkin.

Auckland, Northland, Waikato and Taranaki are expected to see mostly clear skies by early Saturday, with conditions improving across much of the rest of the North Island by Sunday.

However, those celebrating Matariki in Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, eastern Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa and Wellington are likely to contend with persistent cloud.

The singer-storyteller says he's still learning what our newest national holiday is all about.

The South Island is forecast to have the strongest viewing opportunities throughout the holiday weekend.

Queenstown and Wānaka are expected to experience clear but frosty conditions, with overnight temperatures between -3C and 1C, while the West Coast is forecast to enjoy clear skies on both Friday and Saturday mornings.

Nelson and Blenheim are also expected to have mostly clear conditions, while Christchurch and Timaru should see improving skies inland despite some coastal cloud.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has urged anyone planning to light fires in celebration of Matariki to check the weather conditions first.

“If it’s windy, do not light a fire,” said wildfire manager Tim Mitchell.

“Remember, your fire is your responsibility. This includes making sure it remains under control, the safety of everyone attending, and making sure it is cold to touch before leaving the area. Do this by dousing the fire with water.”

Earth Sciences New Zealand updates its Matariki viewing forecast daily at 3.30pm, providing an outlook for the following morning.

Matariki marks the Māori New Year and is observed with remembrance, celebration and reflection as the star cluster becomes visible in the winter sky.