Contents
What Is Stargazing?
How to Get Oriented in the Night Sky
When and Where to Stargaze
Stargazing Tools
Stars, Nebulae, and Galaxies
The Moon
The Planets
Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors
Special Events in the Sky
Southern-Hemisphere Stargazing
Stargazing Resources
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Southern-Hemisphere Stargazing
If you’re in the southern hemisphere, you’ll be able to see some the most spectacular objects in the sky, many of which are never visible in the northern hemisphere.
Rethinking Sky Motions
In the southern hemisphere, the sky moves in the opposite way as in the northern hemisphere: the stars appear to rotate clockwise around the south celestial pole. Whereas the north celestial pole is marked by the North Star, there is no visible star right on the south celestial pole, so finding due south is a little more difficult than finding due north.
Southern Stars and Constellations
If you’re stargazing in the southern hemisphere for the first time, you may be surprised to see the Moon and many familiar constellations upside-down. Orion, for example, looks as if he’s standing on his head. You’ll also get a chance to spot stars and constellations you’ve never seen before, such as:
- Crux (Southern Cross): The best-known constellation in the southern sky, the Southern Cross looks more like a kite because its four stars are close together. You can use the Southern Cross to locate the south celestial pole: draw an imaginary line from the top of the cross through the bottom, and extend it about 30° (for help, see How to Get Oriented in the Night Sky), and you’ll be in the general area of the south celestial pole.
- The Pointers: These are two very bright stars—Alpha Centauri (which is actually a triple star system, its three stars being the closest stars to the Earth) and Beta Centauri. The Pointers also lead to the south celestial pole: draw an imaginary line connecting them, and another line that cuts perpendicularly through the middle of this line. Where this second line intersects a line drawn through the long axis of the Southern Cross is roughly the location of the south celestial pole.
You can also locate many more objects in the southern hemisphere by using a planisphere (see Stargazing Tools).
Magellanic Clouds
On a good night, you can easily spot the stunning Magellanic Clouds with only the naked eye. They look like two small, wispy clouds (one slightly brighter and larger than the other) but are actually dwarf galaxies orbiting our own Milky Way. Both clouds are several times larger in the sky than the full Moon, and you can use your hand (see How to Get Oriented in the Night Sky) to measure their impressive sizes (the Large Magellanic Cloud is about 10° long, while the Small Magellanic Cloud is roughly 5° long). January is the best time to view them.
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