Dr. Orchiston is a foremost authority on the subject of New Zealand astronomy and here are the
collected papers of his fruitful studies in this area including both those published many
years ago and new material. The papers herein review traditional Maori astronomy examine the
appearance of nautical astronomy practiced by Cook and his astronomers on their various
stopovers in New Zealand during their three voyagers to the South Seas and also explore
notable nineteenth century New Zealand observatories historically from significant telescopes
now located in New Zealand to local and international observations made during the 1874 and
1882 transits of Venus and the nineteenth and twentieth century preoccupation of New Zealand
amateur astronomers with comets and meteors. New Zealand astronomy has a truly rich history
extending from the Maori civilization in pre-European times through to the years when explorers
and navigators discovered the region up to pioneering research on the newly emerging field of
radio astronomy during WWII and in the immediate post-war years. A complete survey of a
neglected but rich national astronomical history this does the subject full and comprehensive
justice.
