Images Dated 5th November 1991

Optical photo of the star Sirius using star filter

The two bright stars just below centre are Alpha Centauri (left) & Beta Centauri. To their right are the four stars forming the constellation of the Southern Cross, or Crux Australis. Alpha Centauri, also known as Rigil Kent, is a triple star system, the two brightest components of which form a yellow-orange visual binary. The third component, Proxima Centauri, is the closest star to Earth at a distance of 4.3 light years. Beta Centauri, or Hadar, is also a binary star; it is much more remote at a distance of 424 light years. The photograph was taken from Pauhatanui, New Zealand. (North is at top). 50mm, f/2, 20 sec exposure, Fujichrome 1600 + 2, photographed from Pauhatanui, New Zealand

© JOHN SANFORD/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY