Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve stargazing in February 2027
Galactic core overhead in the southern winter. Tours from Tekapo.
Mon 1 Feb to Sun 28 Feb 2027
Best night: Wed 10 February 2027
Dark from 22:49 to 05:00 · 6.3 h without the moon · Milky Way core: 2.0 h
| Night of | Moon | Dark hours | Moon-free | Milky Way core | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 1 Feb | 23% | 5.7 | 2.8 | moonlit only | 85 |
| Tue 2 Feb | 16% | 5.7 | 3.7 | moonlit only | 90 |
| Wed 3 Feb | 9% | 5.8 | 4.7 | moonlit only | 93 |
| Thu 4 Feb | 5% | 5.8 | 5.7 | 1.2 h | 95 |
| Fri 5 Feb | 1% | 6.0 | 6.0 | 1.5 h | 95 |
| Sat 6 Feb | 0% | 6.0 | 6.0 | 1.5 h | 95 |
| Sun 7 Feb | 1% | 6.0 | 6.0 | 1.5 h | 95 |
| Mon 8 Feb | 3% | 6.2 | 6.2 | 1.8 h | 95 |
| Tue 9 Feb | 7% | 6.2 | 6.2 | 1.8 h | 95 |
| Wed 10 Feb | 13% | 6.3 | 6.3 | 2.0 h | 96 |
| Thu 11 Feb | 21% | 6.3 | 6.3 | 2.0 h | 96 |
| Fri 12 Feb | 31% | 6.3 | 6.2 | 2.0 h | 95 |
| Sat 13 Feb | 42% | 6.5 | 5.7 | 2.3 h | 91 |
| Sun 14 Feb | 53% | 6.5 | 5.0 | 2.3 h | 85 |
| Mon 15 Feb | 64% | 6.7 | 4.3 | 2.5 h | 77 |
| Tue 16 Feb | 75% | 6.7 | 3.3 | 2.5 h | 64 |
| Wed 17 Feb | 85% | 6.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 h | 46 |
| Thu 18 Feb | 92% | 6.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 h | 28 |
| Fri 19 Feb | 97% | 6.8 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 14 |
| Sat 20 Feb | 100% | 7.0 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 12 |
| Sun 21 Feb | 100% | 7.0 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 12 |
| Mon 22 Feb | 97% | 7.0 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 14 |
| Tue 23 Feb | 92% | 7.2 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 19 |
| Wed 24 Feb | 85% | 7.2 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 25 |
| Thu 25 Feb | 77% | 7.3 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 32 |
| Fri 26 Feb | 68% | 7.3 | 0.3 | moonlit only | 42 |
| Sat 27 Feb | 58% | 7.3 | 1.0 | moonlit only | 55 |
| Sun 28 Feb | 48% | 7.5 | 1.7 | moonlit only | 66 |
Rank your own travel dates Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve stargazing tours
Questions
What is the best night for stargazing at Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve in February 2027?
The best nights are Wed 10 Feb, Thu 11 Feb, Fri 12 Feb, Mon 8 Feb, Tue 9 Feb, 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 February?
Yes, on 15 nights the galactic centre is above 10° during moon-free darkness, up to 2.5 hours a night.
Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve stargazing by month
Weather is not included. Times are local (Pacific/Auckland).