For the star gazers

[Warrigal]

The night sky should be rather interesting in the next few days

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...rs-space-astronomy/?google_editors_picks=true

 

[jnos]

Thanks. I'll check that out. We watch star gaze often. There's a good reason they call Montana, "Big Sky Country."

 

[Guitarist]

In the northern hemisphere, too?

 

[Warrigal]

Planets follow the ecliptic as do the sun and the moon. Therefore they can be seen from both hemispheres. So can all of the constellations of the zodiac. It's just that in the SH we see them upside down to the NH. Actually, that information in the OP relates to the NH so you will be able to follow the directions. We have to reverse them.

 

[Guitarist]

Thanks, Warrigal.

Can y'all see the North Star? Can we see the Southern Cross?

 

[Warrigal]

No to both questions. They are both too far away from the ecliptic to see in the opposite hemisphere.

 

[Ruthanne]

Lovely!

 

[Goldfynche]

There is a brilliant app I have on my ipad called 'Skyview' It's free and you just point the ipad camera anywhere and it will show you what is in that area of the sky. Even pointing it at the floor will show the southern hemisphere sky!

View attachment 29427

Here is the sun, Venus and Mercury, transiting Taurus, in real time, just pointing at the ceiling of my lounge.

 

[Warrigal]

Wow. Makes me want an iPhone.

 

[Goldfynche]

Wow. Makes me want an iPhone.

Yes. It'll work on an iphone and Android devices too,. I have an Android phone with it installed.

 

[Warrigal]

I just have a dumb phone.

 

[Goldfynche]

And here's the Hubble telescope and the space station 'down south' just pointing at my lounge floor!

View attachment 29430

 

[Shalimar]

Very cool.

 

[Goldfynche]

You just place the centre circle over any object, even the faintest star and it will tell you it's name.

 

[Guitarist]

Planets follow the ecliptic as do the sun and the moon. Therefore they can be seen from both hemispheres. So can all of the constellations of the zodiac. It's just that in the SH we see them upside down to the NH. Actually, that information in the OP relates to the NH so you will be able to follow the directions. We have to reverse them.

Hmm, guess everything I learned in school science and in the World Book Encyclopedia was wrong then! And everything I've looked up this morning too! If I were in Hawaii maybe I could see the Southern Cross, but I'm farther above the Equator than that!

 

[Em in Ohio]

Hubble Telescope Marks 30 Years in Space ! I highly recommend Googling for Hubble images. They make me feel small, but full of wonder!