The southern night sky contains a greater range of interesting features than does the northern.

This is true for both naked eye and telescope observing. The southern sky claims the three brightest stars (Sirius, Canopus, and Alpha Centauri) and the best examples of almost every type of astronomical object. Australia also has a superb view of the Large & Small Magellanic Clouds – two extraordinary galaxies visible to the naked eye that are too far south for northern hemisphere viewers.

Far from cities and lights, we are gifted with plenty of unpolluted skies. Star Gazing at Clarendon Forest Retreat you will be treated with extensive constellations, shooting stars and glittering dark skies, you can stare directly into the centre of the Milky Way directly overhead during winter.

To see the Southern Cross throughout the entire year one needs to be south of the Tropic of Capricorn and because of this the Southern Cross is still widely used as a navigation tool for Southern Hemisphere sailors.

Alpha Crucis or Acrux, at the foot of the cross, is the brightest star of the Southern Cross, it is the 14th brightest star in the night sky.