A unique merging of space and music is set to touch down in Hawke's Bay next month as part of a two-prong astronomical exhibition being staged by one of the world's leading astrophotographers.
"It is only the 10th one I have ever staged and the first for Hawke's Bay," Steve Chadwick said of the musical Beauty in the Stars evening set to take place at the Napier War Memorial Conference Centre on December 4.
He has engaged Wellington musician Jim Walmsley to provide pre-recorded as well as live soundtracks to two 15-minute compilations of startling images of deep space he has photographed over the past seven years.
Mr Chadwick, who lives at Himatangi Beach near Foxton, is world-renowned for his astrophotography and even attracted the attention of the late Sir Patrick Moore several years ago.
Sir Patrick had heard about a book Mr Chadwick and co-author Ian Cooper were planning and wrote to ask if he would like him to provide a foreword to it.
"I was honoured," Mr Chadwick said, adding it was likely to have been the last piece Sir Patrick wrote before he died.
Of his own career searching the stars, he described himself as a late starter.
Until arriving in New Zealand from the UK in 2007, Mr Chadwick had never taken any interest in the night sky - "because it was hard to see there at times".
But after walking outside a few nights after he arrived here he was "blown away" by the clarity of the New Zealand night sky.
"Some of the images in the show were taken with a basic SLR camera I used when I started out," Mr Chadwick said.
He does not use a telescope.
Instead, he has a large 25cm lens and plenty of patience.
"One of the shots was taken over three nights and about 25 hours of exposure."
His growing interest and intrigue at what he saw from this country's light-pollution free spots also led to him taking on a role as lecturer in astronomy and philosophy at Massey University.
The musical/visual event is the second stage of his Hawke's Bay visit, with a full exhibition of his acclaimed photographs being shown at the Napier Public Library for three weeks between November 30 and December 19.
The exhibition is being staged in conjunction with the Hawke's Bay Astronomical Society with Napier-based astronomer Gary Sparks saying the society was delighted to be able to be part of both events.
"The exhibition has only been seen in a few locations so we are very lucky Steve has offered to present the two events in Napier," Mr Sparks said.
Mr Chadwick said space was a very large landscape and there were plenty of new visual discoveries to be made.
"Everyone should go outside on a clear night and look up," he said.
His own gallery of photographs summed up how accessible space was.
"I took them all in my backyard."