OMRF Club Otago Lunch - December 2024

Adventures in Astronomy

Our Guest Speaker Dr Ian Griffin completed his PhD in Astronomy at University College London and then spent over twenty years leading cultural institutions around the world including Northern Ireland, Florida, Auckland, Maryland, Manchester and Oxford.

Ian's love for the Southern skies was sparked a few days after moving to New Zealand when he witnessed the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, above a Dunedin beach. Since then, he has developed a passion for photographing the night sky, with a particular focus on capturing the Aurora Australis.  Ian has traveled across New Zealand to capture stunning photos of this natural wonder.

In his pursuit of the perfect photograph of the Southern Lights, Ian arranged the first-ever charter flight to the southern auroral zone and has flown to the zone multiple times aboard NASA’s SOFIA Observatory. During his presentation, Ian will take the audience on a photographic journey, sharing his passion for the magnificent night skies.

In addition, our Face of Research speaker will be Melanie Millier (Research Fellow, Department of Women's & Children's Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago.

Please register here or  email Tracey Fleet ([email protected] or 021 030 4900) to reserve your tickets ($75 per person or $65 for Club Otago members). Please contact Tracey directly if you have a Corporate Club Otago membership so that she can arrange your complimentary tickets.