"Well, it's just never good luck is it?"
The group was fortunate to have among its members Dr Ann Sprague, a retired University of Arizona planetary scientist who had connections with Vilas and Consolmagno.
"So we did have an in there, but then it's not just about having a contact - it's that these people have to actually be willing to come, and they're even paying," Somerville-Ryan said.
"Partly I think it was the attraction of people being able to come to a small isolated community, where we are desperate for knowledge, basically."
The Hauraki Gulf island, accessible only by plane or ferry, was well served with most amenities, "but mind-wise, it's a bit harder".
Last year's inaugural event focused on pandemics and attracted a virologist, a Civil Defence expert and a science fiction writer.
"It was so successful that everyone just said, when's the next one?"
This year's festival would address the topic from four perspectives: where did life come from, how does humanity fit into the universe, why do aliens appear the way they do in film, and how are we searching for other lifeforms?
"You can cover a lot of different angles, all with the purpose of providing education that meets a lot of people's interests."
Somerville-Ryan expected the talent on offer would more than satisfy: "It's amazing. We're extremely privileged."
The festival would involve breakout sessions, an art exhibition and book event at the library. The Auckland Astronomical Society plans to run an educational programme during the week.
Small island, big names
Brother Guy Consolmagno
An astronomer, Jesuit Brother, director of the Vatican Observatory and president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. He'll discuss the interface between science and humanity, our place in the universe and what it means to us if life is found out there.
Dr Faith Vilas
Project scientist at the United States Planetary Science Institute, who directs a National Science Foundation programme in charge of solar system and exoplanets grants. She'll discuss the search for life in the stars, where we are looking, how we are looking and what we are looking for.
Gino Acevedo
Creative art director and textures head of department at Weta Digital, who worked on Avatar, King Kong, The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings. He'll speak about the human imagination when it comes to aliens, discussing what makes aliens friendly or fierce and why we depict them as we do.
Professor Steve Pointing
An Auckland University of Technology microbiologist who has worked with Nasa in researching extreme lifeforms that can survive in polar cold and desert heat. His research and fascination with astrobiology has given insights into how life might exist on other planets.
