Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve stargazing in April 2027
Galactic core overhead in the southern winter. Tours from Tekapo.
Thu 1 Apr to Fri 30 Apr 2027
Best night: Sat 10 April 2027
Dark from 19:51 to 05:32 · 9.8 h without the moon · Milky Way core: 7.3 h
| Night of | Moon | Dark hours | Moon-free | Milky Way core | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Apr | 28% | 9.3 | 5.3 | 2.5 h | 90 |
| Fri 2 Apr | 20% | 9.3 | 6.5 | 3.8 h | 95 |
| Sat 3 Apr | 13% | 9.5 | 7.7 | 5.0 h | 98 |
| Sun 4 Apr | 7% | 9.5 | 8.7 | 6.0 h | 99 |
| Mon 5 Apr | 3% | 9.5 | 9.5 | 6.8 h | 100 |
| Tue 6 Apr | 1% | 9.5 | 9.5 | 7.0 h | 100 |
| Wed 7 Apr | 0% | 9.7 | 9.7 | 7.2 h | 100 |
| Thu 8 Apr | 3% | 9.7 | 9.7 | 7.2 h | 100 |
| Fri 9 Apr | 7% | 9.7 | 9.7 | 7.2 h | 100 |
| Sat 10 Apr | 14% | 9.8 | 9.8 | 7.3 h | 100 |
| Sun 11 Apr | 23% | 9.8 | 9.2 | 7.5 h | 99 |
| Mon 12 Apr | 33% | 9.8 | 8.0 | 7.5 h | 95 |
| Tue 13 Apr | 45% | 9.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 h | 88 |
| Wed 14 Apr | 57% | 10.0 | 5.7 | 5.7 h | 79 |
| Thu 15 Apr | 68% | 10.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 h | 66 |
| Fri 16 Apr | 79% | 10.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 h | 52 |
| Sat 17 Apr | 87% | 10.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 h | 38 |
| Sun 18 Apr | 94% | 10.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 h | 24 |
| Mon 19 Apr | 98% | 10.2 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 17 |
| Tue 20 Apr | 100% | 10.2 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 15 |
| Wed 21 Apr | 99% | 10.3 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 16 |
| Thu 22 Apr | 97% | 10.3 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 18 |
| Fri 23 Apr | 92% | 10.3 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 21 |
| Sat 24 Apr | 87% | 10.3 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 26 |
| Sun 25 Apr | 79% | 10.5 | 0.8 | moonlit only | 38 |
| Mon 26 Apr | 71% | 10.5 | 1.8 | moonlit only | 50 |
| Tue 27 Apr | 63% | 10.5 | 2.8 | 1.2 h | 61 |
| Wed 28 Apr | 53% | 10.5 | 4.0 | 2.3 h | 72 |
| Thu 29 Apr | 44% | 10.7 | 5.0 | 3.3 h | 80 |
| Fri 30 Apr | 34% | 10.7 | 6.2 | 4.5 h | 88 |
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Questions
What is the best night for stargazing at Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve in April 2027?
The best nights are Sat 10 Apr, Wed 7 Apr, Thu 8 Apr, Fri 9 Apr, Tue 6 Apr, when the sky is fully dark and the moon is down for most of the night.
Can you see the Milky Way core at Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve in April?
Yes, on 22 nights the galactic centre is above 10° during moon-free darkness, up to 7.5 hours a night.
Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve stargazing by month
Weather is not included. Times are local (Pacific/Auckland).