Matariki dawn

This year is the first year there has been a countrywide holiday for Matariki in New Zealand. It celebrates the Maori New Year, and is when the star cluster Pleiades appears over the horizon, usually around the time of winter solstice. Matariki is the Maori name for the star cluster. It is also known as Subaru - this is why the cars have 6 stars, because the 7th star is always invisible.

Our family went down to New Brighton beach to watch, as did a lot of other people. It was a lovely morning with a beautiful sunrise.

We also saw the planets aligned in a line - Mercury, Venus, Mars, the moon (standing in for Earth!), Jupiter, Saturn.

Under the pier is lit with rainbow colours for Pride month at the moment, the above pier lighting was turned off to make it darker.