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Tūhura Otago Museum Blog

The blog is where we'll post news, updates, information about objects in our collection, #betterworkstories, profiles of staff members and visitors, pictures and videos, and really anything we think you'd find interesting. We hope you enjoy. 

If there's a topic you'd like us to do a post about, or a post that you think needs a sequel, just let us know!

Stories from Mt John: Seeing

“Seeing” is one factor that makes a big difference to good planetary photography. Seeing refers to the impact the Earth’s atmosphere has on the telescopes ability to pick up a stable image. In the video below you can see the planet Mars wobbling around. That is the seeing. Bad seeing means there is lots of wobble - good seeing is a nice steady image. Seeing is hard to predict, except to say that it tends to be worse when the planet is lower in the sky, where there is more atmosphere between the telescope and the planet. To counteract bad seeing the...

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Mars Mania at Mt John!

It’s time to get up close and personal with Mars! This July, Earth is getting the closest to the little red planet that it has been in 15 years. Earth will be between the sun and Mars (in opposition) on 27 July, closely coinciding with Mars’ perihelion (the closest point in its orbit to the sun). To celebrate this exciting event, the Otago Museum will be utilising one of the high powered telescopes at the Mt John Observatory. Located in Tekapo and the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, this location allows ideal views of the night sky because it...

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Memories of Otago Museum

As the Otago Museum prepares to mark its 150th anniversary this September, planning is well underway for a superlative exhibition to celebrate. Now Dunedin locals will have a chance to add their own memories to the eclectic collection over a century in the making. Museum staff are calling for those who have stories to tell or pictures to share of their experience of the Otago Museum, from any time in the past century and a half. Head of Design Craig Scott explains, “We’ve created space in the exhibition design so we can include our community’s stories – the community is after all...

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How do scientists describe a new species?

It’s not unusual to come across a report of a newly discovered species while flicking through the newspaper or listening to the local news. Those that are named after famous people even make it to the international media - such as the new species of horsefly, Scaptia beyonceae, named after the singer Beyoncé, which made headlines a few years ago! Whether it’s the Hitler beetle, Anophthalmus hitleri, or the Trump moth, Neopalpa donaldtrumpi, perhaps you’ve wondered what qualifies a species as new to science and how they get their interesting, or not so interesting, names? Well, when an expert finds what...

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40 Years of Philanthropy

Dr Marjorie Barclay trustees Euan Wright, Nerissa Barber and Paul Barnett are delighted to announce that, 40 years after the death of Dunedin philanthropist Dr Marjorie Barclay, the charitable trust that bears her name has distributed grants now totalling over $6 525 000. A cocktail event at Otago Museum on Friday 20 July, with Mayor Dave Cull presenting the 2018 grants, celebrates the life of Dr Marjorie Barclay and acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the professionals and volunteers specified as beneficiaries in Dr Marjorie Barclay’s will. The beneficiaries of the Dr Marjorie Barclay Trust are: Otago Museum ($50 000), the...

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ResizedImage600400 Mesmerising Metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly

The Month Ahead: July 2018

Looking for ways to escape the weather this July? Otago Museum is overflowing with exhibitions, talks, kids’ activities and immersive shows. Here’s a round-up of just some of the events taking place this month.

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2018 Otago Wildlife Photography Exhibition People's Choice

With the 2018 Otago Wildlife Photography Exhibition closing this Sunday, the time has come to announce the winner of this year’s People’s Choice Award. Museum visitors and photography fans submitted over 2800 votes this year, which resulted in the first ever tie for first place. Carolena Booth, who captured Skateboarder Basil, and Jemma Bezuidenhout with her entry Flying Pup, will take home canvas prints of their photos, created by Jonathan’s Photo Warehouse. Both winners were entrants in the Pet – 14 years and under category. With an ever increasing number of entries, both photographic (2332) and video (53), the Otago Wildlife Photography Competition...

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Sky Guide: July

Welcome to the Sky Guide, your monthly guide to what's happening in the heavens!

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National Volunteer Week @ OM

The Otago Museum holds taoka of all kinds. It’s also supported by the most valuable taoka of all – our volunteers. The Otago Museum acknowledges and thanks the people who contribute their time and knowledge to our work. Here is an introduction to just a few of these generous people to mark Volunteer Week 2018.

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Rare Discovery: New Long-legged Fly Found at Aramoana

Spending time on the mudflats around Aramoana over the summer led to a unique find for Associate Professor Steve Kerr, a neurotoxicologist at the University of Otago.

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About

Our blog aims to keep you informed of the latest happenings at the Otago Museum, through posts about our collections, our people and our work.

Disclaimer

The views expressed here are those of our individual contributors, and are not the views of the Otago Museum.

Copyright

All content of this blog is Copyright Otago Museum, 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the Otago Museum, except for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or education, as provided for in the New Zealand Copyright Act 1994.