1. The reappearance of the seven Matariki stars, in late May or early June, signals the beginning of the Māori New Year. However, not all iwi iwi tribes celebrate at the same time. Some may begin festivities on the first full moon after the star cluster rises, or on the next new moon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Matariki is a star cluster, not a constellation. A cluster is a group of stars that are near each other in space. When seen from Earth, the stars in a constellation appear to be close together in a pattern, but they might actually be far from each other. There are about 500 stars in the Matariki cluster, but only six or seven are visible without a telescope. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. You can see Matariki for yourself. From early June, before sunrise, look to the north-east hori...
