Story: Southern Cross
In this long-exposure photograph, the stars form arcs around a central point known as the South Celestial Pole. The apparent motion of the stars is a result of the earth rotating under the stars while the camera shutter was open. The photograph was taken at Castle Hill, Canterbury, in the middle of winter.
Using this item
Private collection
by Carl Walrond
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.
How to cite this page
Maggy Wassilieff, Southern Cross – Orientation and navigation, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7485/south-celestial-pole (accessed 27 October 2025).
Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 2 March 2009.