Starwatch: Matariki appearance marks start of Māori new year

Pleiades star cluster in Taurus marks month-long time of remembrance and celebration

Midsummer is definitely not a time of the year that northern hemisphere observers think about looking for the Pleiades star cluster in Taurus; January and February are far more favourable.

However, if you move to the southern hemisphere - New Zealand to be precise - the cluster, which is also known as Matariki, takes on a whole new meaning at this time of year. It returns to visibility in the early morning sky during the mid-winter (late-May to late July), and marks the Mori new year.