A local amateur astronomer is providing entertainment during the COVID-19 alert level four by sharing photographs and information about the night sky on social media.

Grant Bisset told the Wanaka App he is trying to “distract and entertain” during the lockdown.

“The night sky is a magnificent resource to us all that is free of charge and can be enjoyed at many levels,” Grant said.

“Due to Wanaka’s clear skies and latitude there are plenty of interesting things to see in our night skies. We are well situated to appreciate astronomical pastimes with local amateurs involved in astrophotography, occultation observations and asteroid tracking.

Grant Bisset

Grant’s posts on the Upper Clutha Community Notices (on Facebook) have included advice and information on looking at the full moon, the supermoon, and various constellations.

By fostering curious minds hopefully we can at least get some constructive distraction going,” he said.

His description of M42 gives a taste of his posts: “If you look in the handle of the Pot [Orion], about the middle, you will see an area of brightness. This is M42, the Great Orion Nebula. This is an area of glowing gas that is a star nursery. The gas, mostly Hydrogen which glows pink, and dust coalesces and Voila! A star is born.”

Grant has also posted a quiz (which closes on Friday April 17) to “help entertain the kids”. If participants answer correctly they will go in the draw for a set of binoculars, to be collected after lockdown.

Grant, who has lived in Wanaka since 1992, has been involved in aviation, tourism and property. 

He contracts to NASA with the local Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility programme, in a “pretty minor role” of photographically recording the flight train for NASA’s records.

He used to work at the Mt John observatory at Tekapo for Earth and Sky, and has also been involved with Warbirds over Wanaka as a display pilot (fighters) and as display director in 2014.

PHOTOS: Grant Bisset