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I've always wondered what it is that makes the star's light shape into a cross, some are dots whilst others have the bright streaks  forming a cross

these are called diffraction spikes.  If I use a scope with a secondary mirror it has metal "vanes" that hold a mirror in the center of the light path.  The light bends around them and gives you those spikes.  
 
Refractor style Telescopes (think what old sea captains used) are glass and have nothing in the way of the light path. 
 
ALL stars in a refractor style will NOT have these spikes.  Only the brighter stars in a reflection style scope will give you the spikes. 
 
Here is the bubble nebula taken with my R/C scope (reflector style)

longer focal length means it appears closer and zooms in more.  Se the star above right to the bubble?  Those are diffraction spikes.
 
Same object with the refractor style:

that same exact star has no spikes, and because its a much shorter focal length you can see the accompanying Messier object #52.  
 
 

That looks amazing.

Think I have not made the most of my previous job locations,... Kununurra WA, Horn Island QLD.   Just looked at the light pollution map of the places I have lived over the last ten years,... concluded the apparant lack of stars would be to aging eyesight

Cool Story Bro