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Southern Cross

GregT

GregT

TUG Member
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Messages
7,154
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Location
Carlsbad, CA
Resorts Owned
Marriott: Maui Ocean Club Lahaina Villas (3BRx5), Ko Olina, Shadow Ridge II, Willow Ridge, Aruba Ocean Club, DC Points HGVC: Flamingo, Sea World, I-Drive, Starwood Bella (x4), SDO, TradeWinds, Worldmark
All,

I am a Crosby Stills & Nash fan and have always loved the song Southern Cross. I had heard that the Southern Cross was visible from the Hawaiian islands at certain times of the year (Dec-Jan) for a few hours before sunrise. I bought a little iPhone app so I could learn to track the constellations in the sky because I wasn't sure how visible it would be. And I didn't know if it would be high enough to see over Mauna Loa.

My little app told me this morning it was above the horizon so I went outside and went looking for it. The best south facing view was between the two buildings in Phase 2 and from my app, I knew it was somewhere there, but wasn't sure if I was looking at the right thing.

I walked further out into the lava field and away from the lights and -- boom, there it was, to the right of where I was looking. Spectacular and unmistakeable.

Big Island rocks!

We are in Building 6, second floor. I'd booked a 2BR Plus unit because this is what was available six months ago when we firmed up this trip. I requested to be close to the Super Pool and it is immediately adjacent. I have historically discounted the value of Plus/Premier because there's not an ocean view, but this room has a beautiful view of the golf course and the lake on the course, so there is an intangible value to the higher units that I'd not appreciated. I still think I prefer ground floor for BBQ access, but was pleasantly surprised by the view.

Just wanted to pass along the tip to my TUGging friends.

Best,

Greg
 
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Nice sighting Greg! Its one of my favorite CSNY songs also, I took small craft sailing in college.

We wont be there until May, but stargazing is excellent any time of the year, my wife has the same app on her ipad. I'm looking forward to snorkeling at Kikua Point.


Sent from my iPad Mini 4 using Tapatalk
 
I stayed in building 6 on the bottom corner closest to the pool. It was awesome. We had breakfast next door every morning. I loved being so close to the action. I know you will have a great time!
 
Southern Cross - great choice!

First of all Greg - thanks for the tip. I'm adding this to my to-do bucket list. I'm glad that you were able to see it. Outstanding!

Here's my Southern Cross story. My husband and I are big, big CSNY/Neil Young fans so that song has always been on our playlists. In 2008 were were on Kauai celebrating our 25th anniversary. On our actual anniversary day we went sailing on Captain Andy's Napali Coast cruise. It was fun, but a bit rough with lots of people having issues. Luckily we don't get seasick. On the ride back it started raining so between the rain and the rough waves we had almost the whole deck to ourselves. Then Southern Cross came on over the speakers. We sang out loud since we could, and had the rain and the waves in our faces. It was just the most perfect moment, and we still talk about it. Best day ever.
 
I've never heard the song or anything else about this phenomenon. Thanks for sharing! We'll be at Kings' Land in late March. Any idea if we'll be able to see the Southern Cross?
 
We'll be there in March (4-7) at the Bay Club, and may have to wander out at night to see the Southern Cross.

Then, we're lucky enough to be seeing David Crosby at a small club in Berkeley less than a week later.

I've seen CSN in various incarnations about 16 times and Neil Young 38 times (including the Bridge Benefit Concert that he does out here yearly), so we're fans (mrs. brp came on the scene later, but is catching up).

Winchester Cathedral is my favorite of theirs (even moreso after hearing Graham Nash talk about the origins of the song)...but Southern Cross is second :)

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers.
 
I instantly thought of the Black Sabbath song, Sign of the Southern Cross.

I'll be in Cancun in April. I'll be on the lookout.
 
Just read you can see it in Key West during summer months. I'll be down July 4th....hopefully I'll remember to look up. I'm not a sailor or much into watching stars but found the CSN song connection interesting. Thanks for sharing.
 
I always get goose bumps listening to Crosby, Stills & Nash sing Southern Cross, but I had never seen it. Then one year in Poipu, I woke up in the middle of the night, rolled over in bed, and saw it through the window.

410%20-%202007-02-20%2006-51-20-L.jpg


I was so wound up, it was hard to get back to sleep.

Here's another intriguing song that refers to the Southern Cross:

Stan Rogers - Lock-Keeper
 
JSparling said:
I've never heard the song or anything else about this phenomenon. Thanks for sharing! We'll be at Kings' Land in late March. Any idea if we'll be able to see the Southern Cross?
Click to expand...

In late March, you'd have to look between 11 PM and 2 AM. If there's any haze, or too much light pollution, it might be hard to spot. Since it doesn't rise very high in the sky in Hawaii, you have to be at a high elevation, or someplace with a southern view of the ocean.
 
artringwald said:
I always get goose bumps listening to Crosby, Stills & Nash sing Southern Cross, but I had never seen it. Then one year in Poipu, I woke up in the middle of the night, rolled over in bed, and saw it through the window.

410%20-%202007-02-20%2006-51-20-L.jpg


I was so wound up, it was hard to get back to sleep.

Here's another intriguing song that refers to the Southern Cross:

Stan Rogers - Lock-Keeper
Click to expand...

That is a spectacular photo -- thank you so much for posting it. I really regret that I don't have a good camera to capture it. I told Jack and Caroline that we are getting up before sunrise tomorrow to see it -- they may not appreciate it today, but they will some day!

I love all the stories that TUGgers have on this song, thank you for posting those as well -- especially the catamaran story -- love it!

Best,

Greg
 
GregT said:
That is a spectacular photo -- thank you so much for posting it. I really regret that I don't have a good camera to capture it. I told Jack and Caroline that we are getting up before sunrise tomorrow to see it -- they may not appreciate it today, but they will some day!

I love all the stories that TUGgers have on this song, thank you for posting those as well -- especially the catamaran story -- love it!

Best,

Greg
Click to expand...

Isn't it amazing that the human eye is so much better than the best camera. We can go out and see all the stars in the sky, and still distinguish the craters on the moon. You need a camera with a long exposure to get a picture of the stars, but then the moon would look like an extremely bright white blob. A very short exposure would show the moon's shadows, but the rest of the sky would be black. Unfortunately, our memory isn't as good as a camera's memory card. That why I spend a long time staring at the stars at night, and sometimes a picture can help refresh the memory.
 
Now that you've done your star gazing, get over to lava lava at A bay and have a beer and watch the sunset and request the band play the song.

Then drive down the coast and snorkel in front of St Peter's church where yours truly got married.
 
GregT said:
All,

I bought a little iPhone app so I could learn to track the constellations in the sky because I wasn't sure how visible it would be.

Greg
Click to expand...


Greg, which app did you download?

We'll be on the Big Island for at least 2 weeks, maybe 3, in December at Kings' Land and Kohala Suites, so I'd like to check out your app and look for/at the SC.
 
buzglyd said:
Not exactly TUG music but here you go Greg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhZ2q4BcmWA
Click to expand...

Wow, that brings back memories -- I've not heard that in awhile!!!

Ron98GT said:
Greg, which app did you download?

We'll be on the Big Island for at least 2 weeks, maybe 3, in December at Kings' Land and Kohala Suites, so I'd like to check out your app and look for/at the SC.
Click to expand...

It's an app called Night Sky. It's great -- I started with the Free one, but it was limited so I paid the $2.99 for the full version. I also got a compass app so I could figure out the southern direction easily.

I got the kids up this morning to see it -- I got a Wow from each of them so I was really happy!

Best,

Greg
 
GregT said:
Wow, that brings back memories -- I've not heard that in awhile!!!



It's an app called Night Sky. It's great -- I started with the Free one, but it was limited so I paid the $2.99 for the full version. I also got a compass app so I could figure out the southern direction easily.

I got the kids up this morning to see it -- I got a Wow from each of them so I was really happy!

Best,

Greg
Click to expand...

Thanks, I just purchased and downloaded Night Sky Pro:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/night-sky-pro/id914945059?mt=8

So far it looks pretty cool, look forward to checking it out tonight.


IOS comes with a compass, what's different about the compass app that you downloaded?
 
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Ronnie James Dio (Rest his soul) had one of the most amazing voices in heavy metal. I miss him every time I hear that growl.

Hope you're enjoying Hawaii!
 
The very first time I traveled south of the equator, was on an "adventure travel" trip to Bolivia and Peru. We went to rainforest in the Amazon basin in Peru, with no electricity and no light pollution, and that's where I first saw the Southern Cross. It made me think of the song, of course, but the thing that really was magical was that because we were so close to the equator, and since there weren't any urban lights to get in the way, we could actually see the band of the milky way across the sky overhead. It looked like someone had sprinkled sugar across the sky in a line. It was just magical to be there, knowing that I was seeing stars and constellations that I'd never before set eyes upon.
 
All,

I am at Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas now (the South section) and we are in Building 3, which has a southern facing view. I have a spectacular view of the Southern Cross from my balcony -- I hope others are able to see it too, but it brings back wonderful memories and I loved this thread! I hope you all are well!

Best,

Greg
 
We were in Kauai in 2019 and got up at like 4AM to see it. We've also seen it while wandering in the darkness in Aruba. It is something that draws us south.

Cheers.
 
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