Dark Sky Set of Mint Stamps

Mint sheetlet of six gummed stamps.

• $2.90 Southern Cross/Māhutonga - The Southern Cross constellation, a national symbol of Aotearoa New Zealand, is visible year-round in the southern hemisphere sky. It has long been used for navigation, helping to locate the South Celestial Pole when used alongside other stars. Across the world, cultures have shared stories about the stars; in Aotearoa, some iwi (tribes) viewed the Southern Cross as the anchor of a great sky canoe.
• $2.90 Taurus/Te Kōkota - The naming and interpretation of stars vary across cultures. In Aotearoa, the Hyades open star cluster—part of the constellation Taurus—and the adjacent bright orange star Taumata-kuku (Aldebaran) are known collectively as Te Kōkota.
• $2.90 Orion’s belt & sword/ Tautoru & Te Kakau - Orion was named by the ancient Greeks, who saw the seven bright stars as a giant. A line of three stars forms his belt, from which his sword hangs. In Aotearoa, Orion’s Belt is known as Tautoru and, when including Te Kakau—another row of stars extending at an angle -is often referred to as a pot with a handle.
• $2.90 Aries/Pipiri - Pipiri marks the first month of the maramataka, a traditional Māori lunisolar calendar, and is associated with the stars Hamal and Sharatan in the constellation Aries. Aries is an ancient star group that has historically been depicted as a sheep or ram by many early cultures. Its modern name is derived from the Greek and Roman myth of the Golden Fleece.
• $4.00 Winter Triangle - This asterism—a recognizable pattern of stars—includes Betelgeuse, Procyon, and Sirius (Takurua), one of the brightest stars in the sky. Known as the Winter Triangle in the northern hemisphere, this group of stars is visible during summer in the southern hemisphere. Thanks to its bright stars, it's an excellent starting point for those new to stargazing.
• $4.70 Matariki - Matariki is the Māori name for the star cluster also known as Pleiades, Subaru or the seven sisters. The Māori New Year is celebrated annually across Aotearoa New Zealand when, in mid-winter, the Matariki star cluster rises.

To acknowledge Matariki, the Māori New Year, this stamp sheetlet highlights Aotearoa New Zealand’s dark skies with a stunning image from Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Click here to find out more. 

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