ability to see stars at a given time

conchubhar1

Given the way the earth moves etc etc

can someone in the north or south hemisphere see all stars that are visible from earth at various times - summer winter etc

or

are certain stars or planets etc only visible from one of the two hemispheres?

Calibos

conchubhar1 wrote: »

Given the way the earth moves etc etc

certain stars or planets etc only visible from one of the two hemispheres?

We can never see some constellations around the Southern Pole and the Aussies can never see some constellations around the northern pole. TBH the Southern hemisphere got the better deal. There is much more cool stuff around their pole than ours.

Put it this way, they might just be able to see the last star of the handle of Ursa major(the plough) low on their horizon during our summer/their winter but anything between that and Polaris is invisible to them. The only showpiece objects they really miss out on are M81/82, two large bright fine galaxies beside each other. We on the other hand miss out on the Milkyways satellite galaxies-the large and small magellanic clouds, Omegi Centuri, the best Globular cluster in the sky be a large margin, Centarus A, THe Carina nebula complex(wipes the floor with the Orion Nebula that they also can see BTW), They also get to see the center of the Milkyway bulge overhead with all the amazing objects theirin whereas we can only see a portion of it and hugging our southern horizon in the muck and skyglow to boot.

Never mind all that. All the best Comets baring '97's Hale Bopp only put on the best of their show to the Southern hemisphere. All the most recent supernova have been southern hemisphere. Sometimes I wish I was an antipodian

quickbeam

You can see all constellations only if you're on the equator. Polaris will be on northern horizon.

Check out Stellarium - it shows how the sky overhead looks at any given time, in any given place. Move your location to somewhere on the equator and check out the constellations throughout the year.

conchubhar1

Ah thats a shame.

Ye - I will check out other areas with stelarium once I get sorted with what can be seen over Ireland.

Thanks all.