You’ve heard of the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere’s night sky, but what about the Northern Cross? Far larger, easier to find and arguably more impressive, here’s how to find the Northern Cross in your night sky tonight.
When And Where To Look
The Northern Cross is mostly a different way of looking at the constellation of Cygnus, the swan. Comprised of six stars, all easily visible to the naked eye even from the world’s most light-polluted cities, the Northern Cross dominates the eastern sky after sunset from mid-June and finally sinks in the west during November.
Right now, it’s high in the southeastern night sky as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. From south of the equator, it becomes visible in the middle of the night due north, but never gets high above the horizon.
What You’ll See
As well as finding the six stars of the Northern Cross — which is an asterism, not an official constellation — you’ll also get to see the Milky Way (if you’re under a dark sky). That’s because the Northern Cross lies over the plane of the Milky Way, so expect rich starfields and the arc of the Milky Way’s aptly named Cygnus arm. The former looks incredible through binoculars; the latter is best seen with the naked eye.
Begin by finding Deneb, the brightest star on the Northern Cross and one of the most luminous stars in the Milky Way. Now take a line down through it to Sadr (where the cross intersects), then Eta Cygni, with the base of the cross marked by Albireo (a double star consisting of a gold and a blue stars that look fabulous in a small telescope). Either side of Sadr, where the cross intersects, are Gienah and Rukh.
Observing Tips
Once you’ve found the Northern Cross, reverse it to see the constellation of Cygnus, with Albireo as the swan’s head and it wings spread further back, either side of Sadr.
If you have a very dark sky, look below a line from Sadir to Albireo for the “Great Rift,” a dust cloud between the solar system and the Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way. It looks like a dark band within the stars of the Milky Way.
If you have a telescope, there’s plenty to see with the Northern Cross — the North America Nebula (NGC 7000), the Pelican Nebula (IC 5070, IC 5067) and the Veil Nebula.
What’s Next In The Night Sky
On Sunday, July 27, a crescent moon will be visible as it approaches Mars, while a few nights later, on July 29-30, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak. Expect a display of shooting stars in the early hours of July 30.
For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
