Eye On The Sky: Sun staying low as Matariki rises first

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With the winter solstice behind us we start winter off for real and begin the long, slow climb to the dog days of summer.

It will still be a month or so before we start to notice the lengthening of the days.

At this time of year the sun is due north about 12.30pm and at its lowest point for a month or so.

The sun only varies from that position by about 7 degrees so it's usually fairly close to north, but don't get caught out by daylight saving, when the sun is more or less north at 1.30pm.

As for the planets, the giant Jupiter clings on to the evening sky, setting about 6.45pm, about an hour after sunset. Mars remains a conspicuous object all night, setting about 1.25am.

The majestic ringed Saturn follows about two hours behind it.

In the morning sky we see the return of Matariki (Pleiades), rising a bit earlier each morning ahead of the dawn. Venus (Kopu) still shines brilliantly in the morning sky, rising about two hours ahead of the sun.

This time of year is excellent for seeing the Southern Cross (Taki-o-Autahi), as it is at its highest early in the evening, with the distinctive cross shape almost overhead.

This constellation is easy to find, just look for two bright stars in a line. These are called Alpha and Beta Centauri, or the pointers, and point to the Southern Cross.

In the east, as the dusk fades, the bright red supergiant Antares rises, marking the heart of the winter constellation of Scorpio (Waka o Mairerangi). This is the dominant constellation of the winter sky and is visible all night.

For more information, contact the Rotorua Astronomical Society. Check them out on Facebook.