Reaching for the stars from

scale and enormity of our sibling planets, and Earth’s place in the universe.

Omaka Observatory’s VR system allows the user to explore, up close, some of the most far-flung corners of our universe as if sat in the cockpit of a bona fide space shuttle. Vibrating chairs will add to the all-round sensory simulation.

Flying past a comet hurtling through space at thousands of kilometres an hour was breathtaking, as was having an astronaut’s eye-view of the International Space Station

400 kilometres above Earth.

Tours of the Milky Way, Alpha Centauri, the Sombrero Galaxy and a black hole all left me feeling, figuratively, out of this world.

My favourite part was sat among our very own solar system where, for the first time in my life, I was able to comprehend the sheer astronomical massiveness of our brother and sister planets.

I felt a real sense of peace up in the stars, and looking at our little speck of dirt among the huge boulder-like planets of Saturn, Neptune and Uranus does get the mind wondering about the meaning of life, and what part we play in the grand scheme of things.

And, if the grand scheme of things for the Omaka Observatory Charity

Trust is to get more children and adults interested in the stars and the universe, then its new virtual reality headsets seem a sure fire way to do just that.

Marlburians will be able to experience the thrill of zooming through outer space themselves from Saturday, July 2, when the observatory opens its doors to the public in time for the school holidays.

It was planned to open on June 24 but weather and Covid have delayed the opening.

For more info, go to http://omakaobservatory.co.nz/