Matariki, also known internationally as the Pleiades star cluster, is one of the closest star clusters to Earth. While we usually see it as a small group of stars in the night sky, the stars of Matariki are actually spread across space over many light-years.

This interactive experience allows students to move through the cluster and explore the three-dimensional structure of Matariki from different perspectives. By navigating around the stars, students can better understand the astronomical scale, distance and how our position in space changes what we see from Earth.

Explore the Cluster

Use your mouse or trackpad to move through the Pleiades star cluster. Drag to change direction and pinch or scroll to zoom in and out as you explore Matariki from different perspectives.

Looking at the Sky in Three Dimensions

When we observe stars from Earth, they can appear close together in the sky even though they may actually be separated by vast distances in space. Interactives like this help us move beyond the flat view of the night sky and begin thinking about the Universe in three dimensions.

Astronomy involves identifying objects in the sky and helps us understand relationships, distances, movement, and perspective.