Stargazing guide training, Astronomy education & Private tours

Te Pō | The Night

Everything stargazing - Guide training courses, astronomy education, private tours and more. Delivered by an astrotourism expert.

Stargazing training

Training for stargazing guides

Comprehensive training programs designed to build your skills as a stargazing guide, from complete structured courses to flexible modular learning.

Full course

From the basics of astronomy and storytelling to advanced telescope operations, this course covers all the skills you need to be a great stargazing guide.

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Individual modules

Build your own bespoke course by selecting specific modules that match your needs and interests. Flexible learning tailored to your schedule.

Celestial sphere and navigationTātai arorangi and storytellingUsing telescopes
$50per hour per participant
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Private tours

Experience the Southern Sky

Private stargazing tour

Private stargazing tours

Beat the crowds with a private stargazing tour tailored to your group. Delivered directly to your accommodation in the Mackenzie Basin area.

Discover the great Southern Sky through a high-powered, 12" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and astronomy binoculars. Learn about and see nebulae, planets, star clusters and more.

High-powered telescope viewingAstronomy portrait under the starsDSLR deep-sky imaging1-2h session
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Astrophotography

Capture the Southern Sky

M 104M 16M 20M 4

Deep-sky astrophotography

Discover the art of deep-sky astrophotography and learn to capture stunning images of nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters.

Explore our gallery of deep-sky images captured using professional equipment. Learn the techniques and skills needed to create your own stunning astrophotography.


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About me

A decade of experience in astrotourism

My name is Adrien Vilquin Barrajon. I have been working in science education and astronomy outreach for over a decade, as a journalist, guide, educator, tourism operations manager and astronomer. I hired, trained and managed guides for New Zealand's top stargazing operator, designed and delivered new astronomy-based tourism products experiences, hopefully inspiring many visitors in the process.

It is however not my experience that sets me apart, it is my passion! Stargazing is a nerd business, and contagious enthusiasm is something guests always value. That's the sort of energy I put into my teaching.

Learning is best served by an active exchange. In my courses, I encourage student participation and questions. I welcome interruptions and opportunities to delve deeper into a topic.

Portrait of Adrien Vilquin Barrajon