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This time of year sees the Southern Cross - one of the easiest
constellations to identify - and it neighbouring 'Pointers', very high
above the southern horizon. The apparent pattern is merely a
line-of-sight effect. Were it possible to view from a different
perspective, these stars would not seem to be close to one another. An
extreme example of this is the two Pointers. That furthest from the
Cross - Alpha Centauri - is our nearest stellar neighbour at just over
4 light years distant, whereas the other Pointer - Beta Centauri - is
525 light years distant.
Still more distant, behind the Cross and Pointers, are the countless
stars, clusters, dust clouds and red 'emission' clouds in our Galaxy.
On a dark night, the eye sees their light as the diffuse glow of the
Milky Way.
By contrast two objects very much in the foreground - Mars and Saturn
- seem apparently close to Regulus, 77 light years away in the Leo.
This trio is conspicuous over the north western horizon, while Jupiter
is rising in the east.
The Moon is in the evening sky June 5-21.
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