Living in Australia now, it sometimes feels like I've moved to a different planet, similar to Earth, but not the same planet. That may sound like a strange thing to say, but look at it this way: In terms of nature, I have no landmarks to grasp. The plants look different. The night sky looks very different. No big dipper to look for up there anymore. Instead there is the Southern Cross, which as you might have noticed, appears on the Australian flag. Can you find it in the picture above?

The Southern Cross, I've learned, is the smallest of the 88 modern constellations, but easy as pie to find in the night sky, because of the two bright pointer stars that bring your gaze right towards it. In the picture to the left, I've circled the pointer stars in green, and the Southern Cross (or rather, the Crux) in red.

Australia is great for stargazing, too. Even here in suburban Melbourne, light pollution is far less than suburban areas in the United States. The darkest sky I've found so far is in remote parts of Tasmania. It's Star Wars starry out there.