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See the strawberry moon that shone around the world

<p dir="ltr">Stargazers across the world had plenty to see this week, as the strawberry supermoon lit up the sky.</p> <p dir="ltr">The moon appeared slightly larger than usual with an orange tint, reaching its peak size on Wednesday night for Australia and New Zealand.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though called a strawberry moon, the name has nothing to do with colour, instead coming from the Native American Algonquin nations and meaning it is the last full moon in spring or first of summer in the northern hemisphere, per <em><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/strawberry-supermoon-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a></em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to <em><a href="https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-june" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Old Farmer’s Almanac</a></em>, it was named the strawberry moon to mark the ripening of strawberries that would be ready to gather in June.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since it is a supermoon, defined as a full moon within 10 percent of the closest distance it can be to Earth, the moon appeared full in the days prior and will for a few more after, according to <em><a href="https://www.space.com/strawberry-supermoon-full-moon-2022-what-to-expect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Space.com</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Here, we've compiled a collection of the most stunning shots of the supermoon from all corners of the world for your viewing pleasure.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-078ba00d-7fff-a754-5303-e6fee130564f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Gary Hershorn (Getty Images)</em></p>

International Travel

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The planets are aligning and here’s how to see it

<p dir="ltr">For the first time in 18 years, five celestial bodies will be aligned in an event you’ll be able to see with your naked eye.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible for most of June, with the <em><a href="https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2022/05/get-ready-to-see-the-planets-align-in-australian-skies-this-june/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Geographic</a></em> reporting that 6am each morning (or 30 minutes before sunrise for <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/06/planetary-alignment-to-dazzle-new-zealand-skies-this-month.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Zealanders</a>) is the prime time to see them all aligned.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If you get up before sunrise, you will be able to spot Mercury closest to the eastern horizon followed by the bright Venus,” Auckland’s Stardome Observatory said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Mars and Jupiter will be close together and high in the sky, while Saturn will be in the northern part of the sky.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4b93900f-7fff-50c3-a092-2853127bb0d4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The positions of each planet will slightly change every morning but they will all remain in the sky for the month.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CehKH8bB788/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CehKH8bB788/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Stardome (@stardome_nz)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Between June 9-27, the Moon will also be passing near each of the planets, making it easier to see each planet on these dates: </p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">June 9 - Saturn</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">June 22 - Jupiter</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">June 23 - Mars</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">June 26 - Venus</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">June 27 - Mercury</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">If the conditions are just right, we might also get the chance to spot Uranus on June 25 - though you’ll need a pair of binoculars to catch the distinctly green-coloured dot to the right of the crescent Moon.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-92a81228-7fff-672d-e592-49f9c48787a2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: NASA / JPL-Caltech</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Top tips for stargazing on a cruise

<p>The night skies while you are out at sea make the perfect environment to experience the wonder of constellations.</p> <p>Your cruise will give you the opportunity to see celestial sights that you will never see at home.</p> <p>You will be surprised what incredible stars and planets you will be able to see with your naked eye, so follow these tips to take full advantage of the mesmerising experience.</p> <p><strong>1. Where you are on the ship matters</strong></p> <p>Move to the darkest area of the ship to start your stargazing experience. The area forward of the bridge is usually the darkest but on modern ships, these areas are often no longer available to the public Check with your ship and scout around during the day so you can find yourself a prime stargazing position.</p> <p><strong>2. When you travel makes a difference</strong></p> <p>The time of the year you cruise will determine what stars and constellations you will be able to see. The time of the month with also determine how much the moon brightens the sky. If you are planning to see the Northern Lights, book a North Atlantic, Alaskan or Scandinavian cruise after mid-August. Booking a cruise during a region’s dry season will usually mean you will have fewer clouds, giving you a better view to stargaze.</p> <p><strong>3. Research before your trip</strong></p> <p>Not all celestial events can be accurately predicted far in advance so it is worth researching before your cruise to see if something is expected to happen. You can refer to astronomy magazines and websites to find out about any upcoming notable astronomical events such as meteor showers and eclipses and which planets you might see.</p> <p><strong>4. Take advantage of apps</strong></p> <p>Believe it or not, technology has reached the point where apps can identify stars, planets and even satellites in the night’s sky just by simply pointing your device at the sky. Be sure to check that you can use the app without connecting to a mobile network so you don’t have to incur roaming rates that will cost you a fortune.</p> <p>Have you ever stargazed on a cruise? Share your experience in the comments below.  </p>

Cruising