New Zealand is for the first time inviting everyone around the world to share in a unique astronomical and cultural moment – seeing in the Māori New Year through a live streamed journey of the Matariki stars.

Broadcast today (Monday) from the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Skye Reserve, one of the world’s 16 certified dark sky stargazing locations, Māori host and former All Black rugby player Israel Dagg will share the story, myths and legends of the Matariki star cluster, which reappears in the night sky each year at this time.

The event will be live streamed from 1:30 to 2 p.m. EST on the Pure New Zealand Facebook page from the reserve in Takapō/Lake Tekapo – a 4,367-sq-km block of land in the middle of New Zealand’s South Island with nearly non-existent light pollution and some of the best stargazing in the world.

Matariki, one of the brightest clusters in the sky – located in a straight line north of Orion’s Belt – is also known as Pleiades (its ancient Greek name) or the Seven Sisters, as well as Messier 45 (M45) by modern astronomers.

Culturally, the rising of Matariki marks the beginning of the Māori lunar calendar and historically the star cluster was used by the crews of waka hourua (double-hulled canoes) to guide them across the Pacific.

Māori New Year is now celebrated everywhere across New Zealand from rural classrooms to corporate offices.