Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve stargazing in March 2027
Galactic core overhead in the southern winter. Tours from Tekapo.
Mon 1 Mar to Wed 31 Mar 2027
Best night: Fri 12 March 2027
Dark from 21:46 to 05:54 · 8.2 h without the moon · Milky Way core: 4.8 h
| Night of | Moon | Dark hours | Moon-free | Milky Way core | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 1 Mar | 39% | 7.5 | 2.5 | moonlit only | 75 |
| Tue 2 Mar | 30% | 7.7 | 3.3 | moonlit only | 83 |
| Wed 3 Mar | 22% | 7.7 | 4.5 | 0.8 h | 90 |
| Thu 4 Mar | 14% | 7.7 | 5.5 | 1.8 h | 94 |
| Fri 5 Mar | 8% | 7.8 | 6.7 | 3.0 h | 97 |
| Sat 6 Mar | 4% | 7.8 | 7.8 | 4.2 h | 98 |
| Sun 7 Mar | 1% | 7.8 | 7.8 | 4.3 h | 98 |
| Mon 8 Mar | 0% | 8.0 | 8.0 | 4.5 h | 98 |
| Tue 9 Mar | 1% | 8.0 | 8.0 | 4.5 h | 98 |
| Wed 10 Mar | 4% | 8.2 | 8.2 | 4.7 h | 99 |
| Thu 11 Mar | 10% | 8.2 | 8.2 | 4.7 h | 99 |
| Fri 12 Mar | 17% | 8.2 | 8.2 | 4.8 h | 99 |
| Sat 13 Mar | 26% | 8.3 | 8.0 | 5.0 h | 98 |
| Sun 14 Mar | 37% | 8.3 | 7.3 | 5.0 h | 95 |
| Mon 15 Mar | 48% | 8.3 | 6.3 | 5.0 h | 89 |
| Tue 16 Mar | 60% | 8.5 | 5.3 | 5.2 h | 80 |
| Wed 17 Mar | 71% | 8.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 h | 67 |
| Thu 18 Mar | 81% | 8.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 h | 50 |
| Fri 19 Mar | 90% | 8.7 | 1.3 | 1.3 h | 35 |
| Sat 20 Mar | 96% | 8.7 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 18 |
| Sun 21 Mar | 99% | 8.7 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 15 |
| Mon 22 Mar | 100% | 8.8 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 15 |
| Tue 23 Mar | 98% | 8.8 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 16 |
| Wed 24 Mar | 95% | 8.8 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 19 |
| Thu 25 Mar | 89% | 9.0 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 24 |
| Fri 26 Mar | 82% | 9.0 | 0.0 | moonlit only | 30 |
| Sat 27 Mar | 74% | 9.0 | 0.5 | moonlit only | 41 |
| Sun 28 Mar | 65% | 9.2 | 1.3 | moonlit only | 53 |
| Mon 29 Mar | 56% | 9.2 | 2.2 | moonlit only | 64 |
| Tue 30 Mar | 46% | 9.2 | 3.2 | moonlit only | 74 |
| Wed 31 Mar | 37% | 9.3 | 4.3 | 1.5 h | 83 |
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 March 2027?
The best nights are Fri 12 Mar, Wed 10 Mar, Thu 11 Mar, Sat 13 Mar, Mon 8 Mar, 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 March?
Yes, on 18 nights the galactic centre is above 10° during moon-free darkness, up to 5.2 hours a night.
Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve stargazing by month
Weather is not included. Times are local (Pacific/Auckland).